


North Winds

by Kamaleen



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Wings, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, What Have I Done, Wingfic, Wings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2018-11-23 03:47:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 73,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11394711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamaleen/pseuds/Kamaleen
Summary: Being an omega was one thing, being an omega with black wings was another thing.If you're born a black bird, prepared to be exiled or killed. However, if you're talented enough you might have a chance to live, but you must pretended to be wingless for the rest of your life.After their kingdom was defeated by the army from the North, there was a request for noble exchange students - a.k.a. hostages - from the North kingdom. Daichi was chosen to go because his parents didn't want an omega in their family, especially an omega with black wings.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters nor settings in this story, and I do not claim any ownership over them or the Haikyuu universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This is my first Kurodai fic. I've been watching Haikyuu for a while but this is the first time I've tried to write an English fan-fiction of this fandom. I hope that you guys enjoy it though!
> 
> English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistake I might have made in this chapter. And I've no beta-reader yet, so please let me know if anyone is interested in checking this story ^^
> 
> Ps. The first chapter is about introducing the theme and characters so it's quite short. I promise that the next chapter will be longer than this one :)

 

A year ago, an army from the North valley had defeated their kingdom. The victorious kingdom had asked for 'a group of young nobles as an exchange students to study the cultures of the North' or, to put it short, 'hostages' to make sure their kingdom wouldn't plan to rebel anytime soon.

Daichi wasn't surprised that he was among the young nobles chosen to be the exchange students. The High council might prefer the ones with magic power and wings because those two always came together, but Daichi's wings were black. Well, half of the winged people were born with black wings, but their wings would change to their true colors after they reached the age of three; Daichi's wings stayed the same. And black wings, by the most popular belief, meant bad luck. So, children with black wings were mostly abandoned, killed, or exiled.

If he wasn't so talented in healing, Daichi was sure that his parents would have him killed as soon as they were sure that his wings would forever stay black. And after ensuring that his talents was real and quite rare, they had decided to put Daichi in one of the royal healer academies with a strict order that he must not show his wings to anyone. Or in short, Daichi must pretend that he was wingless. Only several people were allowed to know that he had black wings; the head of the academy he was in, his teacher - Ittetsu Takeda, and his family.

And despite his wings' color, Daichi was also an omega. Omegas were generally not accepted as the leaders or the heirs of the family; more reason for Daichi to be sent as one of the sacrifices to the North despite his success in making everyone, apart from his parents and two of his friends, thought that he was a beta. There were other young nobles worth protecting than him.

So, it's reasonable that he and other less-worthy nobles were to be sacrificed to ensure the safety of others. Daichi had told himself that he shouldn't care. It's like the time any of the relatives he had left decided to ignore him when Daichi had to spend his summer break at his family's villa. However, it's like getting hit by a stone. You might get used to it, but you would never be able to not feel the pain.

 

 

Daichi woke at the sound of the rain. It seemed to be raining outside. The light that shone through the carriage's windows told the omega that it's daytime. Beside him, Asahi and Sugawara yawned and stretched. Both of his friends were chosen to go to the North too, and Daichi was glad that he wasn't alone.

"We're at the gathering?" Sugawara asked, still rubbing his eyes. Last night they had said goodbye to other students at Karasuno and boarded the carriage that would take them to the gathering of the exchange students.

"I think so," Asahi replied after peaking his head out of the carriage's window.

Daichi peaked his head out of the carriage too and saw that they're heading toward a large manor. Behind them, there were other three carriages carrying students from the Karasuno School of Magic and Healing. They're not the only students from Karasuno that had to go to the North.

 

The carriage took a few turns and then stopped. The door was opened and the guards gestured for him to get out. Daichi did it without complaining even when his body protested with cracks sound and numbness on some places from staying in the same position for a long time.

Daichi looked around and noticed that there weren't only the carriages from Karasuno, but also carriages from other academies as well. And surrounded them were nobles who were to be sent to the North valley. Most of the teenagers around him were either the unwanted children of their families, or the untalented orphans of some decreased nobles whom the High council had been wanting to get rid of for quite some times.

After that all of them were ushered into the manor. Daichi recognized this place from a painting in the royal library back at the grand palace. It belonged to one of the lords who ruled the middle cities of the kingdom. It meant that they still had several days before they would reach to the border of the kingdom.

Daichi spotted other students from Karasuno on his way inside. Yū Nishinoya, an omega, 2nd year, streamlined and reddish-brown wings that resembled the wings of a common nightingale; Shōyō Hinata, a beta, 1st year and also his classmate, chestnut wings with black flecks which resembled those of a common kestrel; Ryūnosuke Tanaka, a beta, 2nd year, wingless; Kageyama, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi, betas, 1st years, also wingless.

Honestly, Daichi was surprised to see Kageyama and Tsukishima here. Both of them were outstanding in their class. There was no way the Council would let these two go without a reason rather than them being wingless.

Daichi and other young nobles were leaded into a dining room which had lunched already prepared for them. The owner of the manor, a.k.a. some lords Tobio didn't remember his name, stepped into the room to greet them and announce that all of them would be staying the night here. After that he let them took their seat and took care of their lunch.

"Well, at least they're giving us free food," Sugawara said, trying to keep the mood light despite the anxiety that was heavy in the air.

"And a bed." Asahi added, trying to follow Sugawara's lead. Yet, his wings which resembled those of a red kite were pressed against his back nervously.

However, before they could take a seat, a second year from Karasuno spotted them.

"Senpais!" It's Tanaka, and the beta didn't hesitate to call for them. "Come! Sit with us!"

"Kageyama!" The first year sitting in front of Tanaka seemed to be spotting someone too, as he waved for another student from Karasuno. Daichi recognized him immediately, it's Kageyama.

"Let's join them then." Sugawara said, already heading toward their younger friends. Daichi and Asahi followed without complain. Beside Tanaka was Nishinoya and on the opposite of the table with them was Hinata who was waving excitedly for Kageyama.

"Hello Senpais!"

"It's nice of you to join us!"

Came the greetings from Hinata and Nishinoya as they sat down. Hinata had already dug in when Daichi grabbed his glass and took a sip at the water. The long journey had left him thirsty, but as not hungry as he had thought.

"Good afternoon," he offered both seniors a polite greeting before he dug in too. The food was great, but it still couldn't cure the slight melancholy that hang around them.

"By the way, where is Tsukishima and Yamaguchi?" Sugawara asked during the meal in an attempt to start a conversation. "I remember seeing their names on the list too."

"They're over there," Hinata answered with a slice of meat still in his mouth, pointing toward the end of the table. "Honestly, I think it's strange that Tsukishima has to go to the North." The beta continued. "He's a genius, there's no way they would want him to go."

 _That's what I was thinking,_  Daichi thought but said nothing as he let the others did the talking. He's not in the mood to talk much.

"I heard from teachers that he volunteered to go to the North after he learnt that Yamaguchi was chosen to go." Tanaka spoke, still chewing as he talked. "To think that a cold-hearted likes him cares so much about his friend, it's surprising."

"Ngh, maybe Yamaguchi is the only one who can stand him." Hinata said and giggled as Tsukishima, who probably had heard all of what they talked, turned to glare at them before turning back to Yamaguchi.

"I agree with you on this." Kageyama perked up from his plate to state his agreement with Hinata before changing his interest back to his lunch. Daichi almost shook his head at his seniors.

However, as he looked at his seniors one by one, Daichi couldn't help feeling strange about Kageyama. He felt as if there was more than they knew about this beta, yet he couldn't tell what it was.

 

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Asashi." Daichi sighed, leaning against the tree behind him. The weather was nice today, not too hot nor too cold. Around them, other students who were chosen to go to the North were relaxing, or trying to relax, under the trees after lunch.

"I wish Karasuno has a garden as nice as this place." Beside him, Asahi spoke up. Daichi glanced at him and the alpha offered him a meek smile as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, I just… I was hoping that we might have a chance to…go back…"

"We might have a chance to go back." Daichi immediately said, more to himself than the alpha beside him. "Look, we don't know what the Norths are like yet… so maybe they aren't as bad as we thought."

"Probably something to do with his family, for Kageyama." Daichi replied, sighing as he thought about the 1st year. "I guess there is something to do with him wingless and an orphan."

"But he's a genius," Asahi blinked, surprised by what Daichi said. "He's always on the top three when it came to anything magic and healing related. How could the Council let him go?"

"I've a theory for that." There was a voice from their left and Sugawara appeared. "Maybe because he's an omega?" The beta said as he gently sat down beside them.

"Omega?" both Daichi and Asahi blinked, surprised. Asahi's wings even raised a bit in curiosity.

"But I'm quite sure that he's a beta." Daichi said. Unlike male and female, the second genders weren't that easy to tell. Generally male omegas looked like male betas (making it easy for male omegas to disguise as male betas like what Daichi had been doing for years – only Asahi figured out he's an omega because he's an alpha with an awfully good nose despite how timid he looked) but only that they had heats liked female omega.

Mostly people wouldn't be able to tell male betas and male omegas apart except for two situations; 1) the heats; 2) When there was a present of a very angry alpha nearby. Omegas, both male and female, were more sensitive to alpha's pheromones than others. They might show signs of trying to appear as non-threat or as submissive as possible when there was a very angry alpha fuming near them.

"Yeah, I think that too. But I can't think of other reason of why he was chosen. Even that he's wingless and an orphan, but his family was one of the most powerful ones and he's a genius among his classmates. I'd heard the teachers said that a talented one like Kageyama is hard to find, so why they let him go?" Sugawara replied, leaning against the tree as he looked up at the blue sky above.

"Maybe it's politic?" Daichi shrugged. "Maybe the other families had voted for Kageyama. Maybe they want to take an excellent descendent away to ensure their descendants' success?"

"No, I've heard that it's his uncle who put Kageyama's name on the list." Sugawara replied. "Kageyama's uncle was one of the very first Council's members who said that they would sacrifice their own children to the North, my grandmother told me. She was in that meeting."

After that the subject was changed to something else. Sugawara talked about what they had learnt in the semester before and Asahi joined in – mostly to get himself away from anxiety than really interested in what Sugawara was talking. Daichi didn't blame him. He too was nervous about the Norths. They only knew that the Norths were better than them, and quite ruthless. All Daichi could hope was that the North folks wouldn't treat them like some war prisoner, even that they were, but treated them liked some real exchange students.

 

 

Later that night, after all of them were sent to their respective rooms; Daichi was surprised of how large this manor was, giving that it had enough bedroom for all the nobles.

As he carefully laid down on his bed, Daichi couldn't help but feeling like he wanted to take off the restraint. However, he knew he couldn't. This wasn't his own room back at the dorm that he could easily take care of the black feathers spilling out as soon as he stretched his wings.

"Damnit," he cursed as he curled on his bed. Being an omega was one thing, but being a black-winged omega was another thing. And he wasn't surprised when he learnt that his father was one of the very few Council members to volunteer their own child.

Daichi thought about his grandmother as he rolled around, trying to find the most comfortable position to sleep. She was the only relative who really cared about him, even more than his own parents. She knew that he's a black bird but still loved him. The day she passed away all those years ago was the worst day of his life.

As he finally found the most comfortable position to sleep without putting much pressure on his restrained wings, Daichi thought about Kageyama. He agreed with Sugawara's suspicion that the younger student might be an omega. However, despite his instinct was nagging at him that there might be something more than being an omega, but he still had no idea what it was.

As he tried to sleep, Daichi changed his thought to his friend instead. He thought about Asahi, the only alpha who figured out that he was an omega from his scent alone. Asahi was a noble but also an orphan. Plus, he didn't stand out in his class - the reason why he was chosen to go to the North.

Then he thought about Sugawara, the only friend Daichi trusted enough to let him knew that he's an omega. To be honest, Daichi was surprised to see Sugawara's name on the list. The beta was one of the top student in Karasuno. However, Sugawara then told him later that he had volunteered to go to the North on his own. Sugawara did it to protect his younger cousins and to prevent his family for having to vote for a sacrifice among the children in his generation. In Daichi's opinion, Sugawara was one of the bravest person he had ever met.

In the end, exhausted from the journey and his own anxiety, Daichi finally drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It's raining while they had their breakfast. Daichi didn't say anything as they all lined up and waited for their carriages. Asahi and Sugawara were both quiet.

Behind him, Daichi heard Hinata talked about how excited he was to see the North land. And sometimes that made him wondered if anything was able to defeat Hinata's spirit. That small beta seemed to be excited about almost everything.

Their journey toward the border was nothing of interest. Their next stop was a big tavern that had enough room for them all. Daichi had to room with Sugawara, Daichi, and also the two 2nd year; Tanaka and Nishinoya. It ended up with Asahi volunteered to sleep on the floor to make room for the 2nd years. Daichi had volunteered to sleep on the floor too. However, in the end Sugawara had persuaded both of them that putting three beds together would make enough space for everyone. So, Daichi ended up sleeping between the wall and Sugawara.

The next place their stopped at was also a manor, but not as big as the first one. Daichi roomed with Sugawara and Asahi. But even with the bed so soft and so big that the three of them could easily fit in, all of them still felt the agitation and the nervousness which made sleep hard to come. All three of them ended up spent half of the night staring at the ceiling for quite sometimes before finally were able to sleep.

The last place they stopped at before getting to the border was a tavern, smaller than the last time but they still manager. This time Daichi slept on the floor with Asahi.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

They arrived at the border town on the mid of the next day. There were carriages from the North waiting for them, along with soldiers in different uniforms than their kingdom's. Their ambassador and the ambassador from the North were already there to supervise the last process of transferring.

Daichi felt his stomach flipped as he grabbed his bags and handed them to the North soldiers to be loaded onto two large carriages pulled by two giant bulls. Honestly, if Daichi wasn't so anxious about this whole journey, he might enjoyed seeing new things he had never seen from the North.

As the ambassadors greeted and talked to each other, Daichi and the rest of the student were leaded into a restaurant for lunch. He could tell by the way Asahi walked that the alpha was about to throw up. So, to make sure that his friend wouldn't worry about him, Daichi put on his nonchalant mask as he walked in.

"Senpais! Can we sit with you?"

Surprisingly, but not unexpected, the 2nd and the 1st year students from Karasuno had come asking to sit with them.

"Yes, of course." Daichi replied, nodding as he sat down. And it didn't take long for the table to be filled with all students from Karasuno; even Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had come to sit with them.

Without his appetite, Daichi didn't eat much. He was much concerned about trying to keep Asahi from freaking out than feeding himself. And after the meal, Daichi had decided that he needed some fresh air before they had to get back on the road again.

 

After asking for permission from the head of the guard that leaded their journey, Daichi was allowed to walk around the restaurant, but not so far that the guards around the building couldn't see him.

 _They think that I might run._  Daichi thought as he walked out of the building, hands in the pocket of his coat.  _Ugh, it's not like I've anywhere to go. My family is very happy to finally be able to get rid of me._

Despite what he felt right now, Daichi still appreciated the view he saw in front of him. Even that the town was still recovering from the war last year, it's still beautiful. Each buildings were built mostly from rocks and wood, decorated by flowers blooming around. Also, the sky was blue and clear. This was probably the first day that he saw sky this beautiful.

Apart from the view in front of him, Daichi looked around. He saw the guards and the soldiers that took them here started packing up.  _They will be leaving soon, their job is done as soon as we're out of the border._  He thought, suddenly feeling down again despite the view.  _No, no, don't think about it. Just enjoy the view Daichi. Just enjoy the view._ Daichi then turned his attention back to the view in front of him and closed his eyes, letting a breeze caressing his hair. He told himself to think about nothing at all and just enjoyed the moment. It took him a while to be able to do that.

After he had calmed himself down, Daichi turned to look at the soldiers from the North. He took note that those from the North seemed to dress lighter than theirs despite the colder weather. Also, there seemed to be some varieties among the soldiers from the North. Most of the soldiers than hung out around the carriages dressed in white and teal, and all had towering height. However, the soldier that were sitting around the fences near them were different despite the symbol of the North kingdom on their uniform. Their uniform were mostly yellow, with white strips on the sleeves and the side of their pants, and black circle around the neck. Also, they seemed to be livelier than those around the carriages, mostly flapped their wings as they talked with excitement in their eyes.

 _Some of them seem to be about my age, some even younger._  Daichi thought as he looked at those soldiers in yellow uniforms joking around and hitting each other playfully.  _Are they really soldiers? They look like kids on their fieldtrip._

"Oya, oya, oya."

However, Daichi's thought was interrupted by a strange sound coming from behind him. The omega almost jumped before he turned around quickly, eyes widened as he saw a tall figure standing behind him.

 _How did he… How did he get behind me without making any sound? Or… was I that preoccupied?_  Daichi almost gaped as he turned to fully confront the person seemed to appear out of thin air behind him without the omega hearing anything.

 _He's tall,_  was the first thing Daichi thought as he looked at the newcomer.  _Not just tall..._  another voice in his head said as Daichi took in the right in front of him. This man was tall, lean, yet looking at his arms was enough to tell that he's quite muscular.

Apart from his body, Daichi noted that this man had black hair that resembled a rooster's body and tail (which somehow managed to look good on him), hazel eyes, and a large grin.

"Hello there," the man spoke and Daichi felt shiver ran down his spine. "So, you're one of the exchange students?"

 _He's from the North._  Daichi thought as he answered. "Oh, yes. And you're from the North?"

"Yup," the man nodded nonchalantly, a grin still on his face. "I'm Kuroo, Tetsurō Kuroo. And you?" He asked as he rolled the sleeves of his shirt up. Daichi took notice of the North kingdom symbol on the front of the shirt. However, Kuroo didn't dress in white and teal nor in yellow, white and black liked those soldiers. His uniform was in black and red.

Honestly, Daichi didn't want to answer. But he didn't want to be impolite to the first North folk he met, since he would have to stay in the North for God knew how long. "I'm Daichi Sawamura."

"Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." Daichi nodded and decided that Kuroo seemed to be friendly enough to not mind if he asked how the other managed to sneak up behind him without making any noise. "May if I…"

"Captain!"

Yet, as Daichi was about to ask, someone was shouting so loud from above that his question was mute. Immediately, both of them looked up and saw another man dressed in black and red flying above them. Daichi couldn't make out much of him because of a sun, but he could see that this male had light grey hair.

"Oi! What's the matter Lev?" Kuroo shouted back, one hand shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Captain! You've got to see this! Come on!" came an exited shout as the male with grey hair flew above them in circle.

"Okay, okay!" Kuroo grunted, sighing as he turned to back to Daichi. Suddenly, that grin was back and Kuroo suddenly took a step toward him. It's just one step but Daichi already felt the back of his neck and his cheeks warming up from sudden closeness.

"See you around," Kuroo said, almost purring before he suddenly leaned back like nothing had happened. Then, he spread his wings and Daichi had to grid his teeth hard to keep his jaw from metaphorically hitting the ground.

At first he almost didn't see much of Kuroo's wings, since the man had folded it behind his back. But when he spread it, Daichi was almost choked by the sight before him.

Kuroo's wings were large and broad. They're probably the longest wings Daichi had ever seen on anyone's backs. The flight feathers were long and elegant. The color was dark brown – almost black, with a few white flecks which were easy to miss since they're very small. Yet, on the inside of the wings they did have more white parts than the outside. And when the sunlight caught Kuroo's wings as they moved, Daichi could swear that some feathers did radiate specks of gold.

To say that Daichi was starstuck wouldn't be for from truth. He had never seen wings as long and broad as this before.

"You're gaping." Kuroo spoke and Daichi hurried to close his mouth that had slightly opened. His cheeks flushed as the other chuckled. The giant wings flapped softly as Kuroo took several steps back and prepared to jump.

"Oh, by the way," the taller male said as he lowered himself, knees bent, ready to jump. "You're quite tall for an omega." With that, Kuroo shot up to the sky, powerful wings slapped the wind down at the ground as he moved up toward the sky.

 _How did he know?!_  Daichi screamed in his mind as he watched Kuroo slowly glided away from where he stood, his grey-haired friend, Lev – if Daichi heard it correctly, leading the way.  _How did he? How? He…did he smell it right away? Shit, he has even better nose than Asahi._  The omega thought, in a frantically way, as he watched Kuroo flew further and further away. It's not that he wanted to watch that man flew, but he just couldn't take his eyes away from how Kuroo's wings beat leisurely against the wind. The way those wings lazily beat against the wing, yet each beat sent him further and further away in a very short amount of time. Kuroo was moving so fast that Lev had to beat his wings faster to catch up.

Daichi watched until Kuroo and his friend were just two spots on the sky that he turned back and decided that he had had enough fresh air. The omega slowly walked back to the restaurant. His heart was still beating faster than normal, but there was also a slight tinge of melancholy in his mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

If Daichi thought that the forests of his hometown were impressive, he changed his mind as soon as they entered the lands of the North.

The journey from the border started slowly at first, traveling through hills after hills in a wasteland that used to be a battlefield. There were still scraps of here and there, but at least the body of the fallen had been taken care of. Most of the area was still covered in mud and rocks, but Daichi noticed some green had started growing where the soil was least damaged. He was sure that this place would fully recover within a year.

However, after they succeeded in fully crossing the waste land of rock, mud, and soil, they were greeted with a border of a forest. Just looking at it made Daichi know where the Norths found their strength from. The trees were higher than those in the South. The branches were thicker and the roots surely went deeper. But even though the trees had pushed their way so high up toward the sky that sunlight barely made their way through the thick foliage, some plants still managed to grow on the ground.

The Northerners announced that they would rest here tonight, since crossing the wasteland already took all of the afternoon.

 

 

"This forest is amazing," Asahi said after they got out from the carriage to stretch their limbs. The alpha even flapped his wings more than usual, indicating that he might have some cramps from staying inside the carriage for hours.

 _I wish I could do that too,_  Daichi thought as he watched Asahi stretched his wings. In addition to Asahi, the other winged nobles seemed to be agitated from being forbidden from flying since the first day of their journey.

"I wish they would allow us to fly, even just a bit will do," Hinata complained as he stretched his wings as high as he could. The cracking sound his small wings added even more mental stress to Daichi. Normally he could go without stretching his wings for a day or two, but this had been more than two days. Daichi was sure that it would be a very painful experience the next time he was able to stretch his wings.

"Oya, oya, oya. You can, actually." The familiar voice almost made Daichi jump. He didn't have to turn around to see who was standing behind them, but he had to turn anyway. And there he was – Kuroo. The taller male was in the uniform Daichi saw earlier in the afternoon, but this time with his wings half stretched and Lev beside him.

 _U_ _p close, Lev is even taller than him._  Daichi blinked as he took in the grey-haired boy behind Kuroo; however, despite the height, Lev seemed to be around the same age as Hinata.

"We can?" Hinata was overjoyed, but it seemed like he still had some sense left in him because the most hyper 1st year students didn't immediately take off. "Wait…who are you?"

"My, my, it seems like your senior hasn't told you about me." Kuroo grinned, and Daichi had no idea why he felt like punching this man's face so much. "My name is Tetsurō Kuroo, and this is Lev Haiba. Nice to meet you all."

"Nice to meet you."

Most of Karasuno's students returned the welcome with hesitance, including Daichi, but Kuroo didn't seem to mind.

"Alright" the black-haired male continued, pointing up at the sky. "I've ask the commander about some flying time before dinner. You guys can fly around for a while, Lev will warn you if you go too far. Oh, and mind the wind, it's quite strong today. Got it?"

 _Lev called him captain,_ _and_ _he_ _definitely_ _talks like one,_  Daichi blinked, quite surprised that Kuroo could talk with some seriousness in his voice. Honestly

"Yup!"

"Yes!"

"Oh…and…another thing to keep in mind," Kuroo continued, eyelids dropping a little as if he was bored. "There are others of us about to stretch our wings too, so the sky might get a little cramped up there."

 _Stretch their wings?_  Daichi immediately looked around. True to Kuroo's words, many winged ones from the North had started stretching their wings, and in no time, they would surely be up in the sky. In addition, Daichi couldn't help but notice that although most of the Northern soldiers were dressed in black and red, there seemed to be some young soldiers dressed in different uniforms, such as those dressed in yellow or white and teal or that Daichi had seen back at the border town.

"Hm, it seems like you all get it. Make yourself at home then." Kuroo shrugged and stepped back. A grin was on his face as he watched Hinata and Nishinoya immediately shoot up to the sky, screaming their excitement all the way.

"I'll make sure they don't get in trouble," Asahi spoke up with an uncertain look on his face. Daichi could tell that Asahi didn't want to take on babysitter duty, but since he was the only one among the rest of Karasuno students who could fly, babysitting Nishinoya and Hinata fell to him.

"I'm so jealous! I wish I had wings, too!" Tanaka groaned from where he stood, looking up at the sky.

"If you had wings too, Azumane-senpai's lifespan would be three times shorter than it is now." Chikara Ennoshita, another 2nd year student whom Daichi just met when they had lunch earlier, spoke up. He's also a beta and wingless, but he seemed contented to just be on the ground.

"The rest of you can walk around if you like," Kuroo spoke again and Daichi almost jumped at how the other was standing so close to him.

 _Damnit! When did he get this close?!_  Daichi thought as he subtly took a step away from the taller male who just appeared next to him. However, Kuroo didn't seem to notice Daichi backing away, or didn't care if Daichi did.

"See those in white and teal?" Kuroo pointed at the row of the North soldiers lining up around the camp. "That's as far as you can go."

 _They're probably responsible for guarding duty, since the other uniforms seemed to be relaxing._  Daichi thought as he looked at the other Northern soldiers, the young ones even fooling around.

"By the way, Sawamura-kun, do you want to ask me about something?" Kuroo continued, resting one of his hands on his waist, long fingers gripping lightly at the belt, wings stretched out a bit more.

' _How did you know that I_ _'m_ _an omega?!'_  was what Daichi wanted to ask most, but since there were others around he decided to ask the second question that came to his mind. "What's different between your uniforms?" he asked, gesturing at Kuroo's black and red uniform then at those in white and teal.

"Uniforms?" Kuroo nodded as his eyes followed to where Daichi was looking. "The uniforms represent each House of the Royal Academy."

Daichi blinked. Now he's interested. "They're not soldiers?"  _You're not a soldier?_

"No, they're not soldiers." Kuroo answered nonchalantly, but Daichi could see amusement in his eyes. That kind of annoyed him a bit.

"And... 'Houses' you say?" He continued, doing his best to keep the annoyance from his voice.

"Yes, Houses," Kuroo nodded, his mouth curved up into a grin. "It's just the way to make it sound cooler when actually they are just the names of the dormitories in the Royal Academy."

"Royal Academy?" Daichi titled his head. "Just one?"

"Yes, one." The taller male shrugged. "We North folks have a different royal school system from you guys. Instead of separating as royal academy of magic, royal academy of alchemy, blah, blah, blah, we unite everything as one big school."

"That's…pretty amazing."

"You think?" Kuroo's eyes lit up with something Daichi couldn't read. However, it disappeared as Kuroo continued. "One hundred years ago, some geniuses came up with an idea that students should be assigned to each dorm by their talents or abilities and gave each dorm a name. For example, those in white and teal are from House Date" He then pointed at a very lively group of young North soldiers in yellow uniform, "those are from House Johzenji."

"So you're saying that students of the Royal Academy also serve in the army?"

"No," Kuroo shook his head. "In the past, yes, students were expected to serve in the army after they graduated. Now it depends on the student. If they don't join, whatever they do after they graduate is up to them. But if they do, they will be given chances to go on some easy missions during weekends or breaks between semesters, such as an escorting mission like this. The uniforms we wear are just to represent which House we came from. The real soldiers are those." He then pointed at a group of soldiers dressed in black and green that were relaxing among others. "Today they seem to trust us enough to let us take care of everything for a while, though." Kuroo added, grinning.

"So… you're still a student?"

"Yes, 3rd year, House Nekoma" Kuroo nodded, flashing Daichi another grin.

"I'm a 3rd year too," Daichi spoke, feeling like he should give Kuroo something after the other had told him a lot about the North. "I'm from Karasuno School of Magic and Healing."

"Sounds cool," Kuroo replied, and the smile on his face was genuine.

"Thanks," Daichi nodded, trying to keep his mind from focusing on how Kuroo's smile made his knees weaken. "Um, what are each Houses' specialties? You said that each students would be assigned to each dorms by their talents or abilities."

"Let me think." Kuroo looked up to the sky, long fingers scratching his chin. Broad dark brown wings flapping gently, sending a breeze toward Daichi as he spoke. "Date House is the best in defense. And I mean all kinds of defenses; from alchemists excellent at protecting your stuff from pests with their potions to the magic users specialized in magical defense. And then there is Aobajōsai House, the House where most magic using students are sent to."

"What about your House?"

"My House…?" Kuroo's grin suddenly turned darker, or maybe it was just Daichi's imagination. "We're like cats. We're good at watching, planning, and catching, especially catching something that fascinates us."

Daichi wasn't sure that he wasn't imaging this, but Kuroo's voice seemed to drop down a bit on the last words. There was also a hint of danger, wildness, and hunger in his voice, something that made Daichi's heart skip a beat again.  _What is this feeling?_  He mentally grunted at himself.  _Keep yourself together_ _,_ _Daichi!_

 _Will he ever stop grinning?_  Daichi thought, mentally sighing.  _Probably not._  "Okay, so you're going to work in the army after you graduate?"

"Yup, that's quite obvious."

"What about the other soldiers?" Daichi asked, ignoring the small jab in Kuroo's earlier answer. "I don't think that your army is totally made of noble students."

"Correct," Kuroo nodded, his grin widened. "The majority of the army are made of normal soldiers, recruited from each town. We also recruit healers, magic users, alchemists, and blacksmiths from common academies, too."

A loud shout coming from above cut Kuroo off and startled Daichi a bit. They both immediately looked up and saw that Hinata was chasing after Lev. Both of them were shouting annoyingly loud.

"Is there anything you want to ask before I go smack Lev's head?" Kuroo asked, boredom obvious in his voice as he spread his wings. Despite this, his eyes never left Daichi's.

 _Should I ask him how he kn_ _e_ _w my second_ _ary_ _gender? There's not so many people around us right now. Others seem to be sitting around those bonfires._  Daichi debated with himself as he looked around. The other students who were not up in the sky, including his friends, had already gathered around the newly lighted bonfires a few yards away.  _Come on, this is my chance,_  Daichi told himself, semi-consciously biting his lower lip. Because he was deep in his thought, Daichi missed the hungry look that flashed across Kuroo's eyes for a brief second.

"Okay… if there isn't anything – "

"Wait!" The omega spoke up before Kuroo took off. He hurryingly continued with a quieter voice. "How did you know about…?"

"Your secondary gender?" Kuroo raised his eyebrows, suddenly moving closer to him until their face were just a hand span apart. "Easy. I know it from your scent. My, my, you have no idea how obvious your scent is. But it's not a shame that others don't have a nose as good as mine. I would definitely be jealous then."

With that, Kuroo stepped back and took off. Powerful wings flapped leisurely but effectively, and it didn't take long for him to get up there and smack Lev's head like he had said he would.

Even though Kuroo was high up in the sky, Daichi was still standing at the same spot that Kuroo had left him. His cheeks were as red as a tomato, his head was spinning, and he couldn't move. What Kuroo had said was going through his mind like a mantra. But despite aiding in concentration, those words only made it harder for Daichi to center himself.

"… _My, my, you have no idea how obvious your scent is. But it's not a shame that others don't have a nose as good as mine. I would definitely be jealous."_

"… _I_ _would_ _definitely be jealous_ _then_ _."_

_What the hell?! What on earth did he mean? Jealous? What? Jealous of what?_

In that moment where they had been so close to each other, Daichi had finally caught Kuroo's scent. It was faint, but not unnoticeable. Daichi wasn't sure how to describe it, but Kuroo's scent made him think of rain, mint, and forest – wildness. However, there was something Daichi was sure about it. Despite how fresh and natural-related that it was, the scent screamed of alpha.

"Sawamura-senpai!"

Thank goodness for Tanaka, who had come to look for him. The beta's loud voice helped snap Daichi from his thoughts.

"Yes?" Daichi replied, trying his best to appear as normal as possible.

"The food is almost ready, and Sugawara-senpai asked me to bring you to the bonfire." Tanaka replied, turning toward the bonfire where the other Karasuno students had gathered.

"Oh, alright," Daichi nodded and followed Tanaka toward where the rest of his friend were.

 

 

The night was quiet (mostly because Hinata and Nishinoya had spent most of their energy when they were up in the sky, so both of them had gone to bed quickly), and the stars were bright. Despite the wind, Daichi could still appreciate the view.

"It's getting cold." Sugawara said from beside him, yawning as he turned to regard Asahi. "Hey, why do I suddenly feel like kicking both of you?"

Daichi turned his head at Sugawara's words and immediately understood why his friend said that. Despite trying to be as subtle as possible, Asahi now had Nishinoya using him as a pillow. The omega's head was resting on his chest while Asahi's wings covered them both.

"What about 'keeping it subtle'?" Daichi joined in, grinning as Asahi's cheeks reddened. "I remember you saying that nothing would happen until both of you graduated?"

"Daichi, Suga, please…" Asahi groaned, knocking his head against the grass below as both Daichi and Sugawara chuckled.

 

In the end, both Daichi and Sugawara decided to leave Asahi alone as he watched the sky. Daichi couldn't help but point out the stars he knew to Sugawara, and after an hour of talking about stars, Sugawara finally fell asleep. However, Daichi was still wide awake.

It took him a few minutes before he sat up. In front of him, the bonfire had almost died down and all of the Karasuno students except him were sleeping soundly.

"Oya, oya, oya, looks like someone is a naughty boy."

"A naughty boy?" Daichi raised his eyebrows as he turned to see Kuroo appearing from behind him with a stack of firewood in his arm. "Isn't a naughty boy someone who enjoys startling people from behind?"

"No, a naughty boy is a boy who doesn't go to bed on time." Kuroo replied as he walked past Daichi toward the bonfire. His trademark grin was on and the light from the bonfire was creating a strange shadow on his face. "So," the alpha continued as he kept the bonfire going with the new firewood he brought in. "What's keeping you up so late?"

"Can't sleep," Daichi replied. "You?"

"I'm in charge of keeping all the bonfires alive until sunrise, wouldn't want any of you to catch a cold." Kuroo shrugged, standing up. This time, the shadow covered half of his face. It made his grin looked even more devilish.

"Umhm," Daichi nodded, deciding that it was best if he just let Kuroo be. Instead of walking away, however, Kuroo sat down beside him.

"Don't you have bonfires to take care of?" Daichi asked, startled at the close proximity, as Kuroo had sat down so close to him that their shoulders almost touched.  _Too close, too close! And…oh my goodness, his wings...his wings…_  Daichi almost gaped as he told himself to sit still, or else Kuroo's wings would touch him.  _Really! Who taught you to spread your wings out like that?!_  Daichi mentally screamed as he looked at Kuroo's left wing that almost touched his back.

"Mgh, let me sit here for a while," came Kuroo's nonchalant reply as he leaned back, arms stretched out behind him to support his weight. His wings finally folded back.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Kuroo said, looking up at the sky. Daichi followed his eyes and nodded.

"It will be even more marvellous when winter comes." The alpha continued. "On a cloudless night, the stars will bathe everything in light and the snow will glitter like jewels." Kuroo's voice was smooth and somehow soothing.

However, before the alpha could continue, there was a loud 'crack!' from the other side of the camp. Then came the sound of someone shouting that Lev had stepped on their legs.

"I swear I'm gonna kill him…" Kuroo rolled his eyes and abruptly got up. Daichi wasn't startled by the sudden movement, but he was surprised that he missed the warmness radiating from Kuroo's body. Their bodies hadn't touched, but suddenly Daichi could image how it would feel to have Kuroo's wings and arms around him.

 _Wait, what?!_  He almost screamed at himself for imaging such a thing.

"Well, see you in the morning then." Kuroo's voice pulled Daichi out from his thought. He turned toward Kuroo and nodded, trying his best to appear nonchalant. And Kuroo? Well, Kuroo just grinned and disappeared into the shadows behind him.

It took Daichi a while to be able to fall asleep, and when he did he dreamt of being surrounded by soft feathers and those broad wings.

After Daichi woke up, he quickly reminded himself that no one would ever want a black bird. Not to hurt his already sore mood, but to make sure that he wouldn't dare hope of being accepted as who he truly was.

 _Because it's impossible for someone to love a black bird,_ Daichi told himself, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, telling himself that he would survive another day.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"Oh my goodness"

Sugawara was gaping at the view in front of him. Daichi wasn't much different than him, and the same went for Asahi as well.

After three days of journeying through a thick forest where sunlight was barely able to reach the ground, they finally reached an opening. However, the view before them had left most of the exchange students gaping. Across a small field where they came to rest, lines after lines of mountains stretched out in front of them.

"Impressive, isn't it?"

"Kuroo?" Daichi raised his eyebrows at the alpha that seemed to appear out of thin air again, but this time Kuroo was standing beside the carriage he was in, his wings stretched out halfway.

"We should arrive at the Academy the day after tomorrow," Kuroo continued, pointing toward somewhere in the sea of mountains in front of them, "Probably in the evening."

And with that, the alpha took off again. Daichi watched Kuroo fly away before pulling himself from the carriage's window.

 _Just two more days_ _,_  he told himself,  _t_ _wo more days and you will be able to stretch your wings._

 

 

Just liked Kuroo had said, they arrived two days after exiting the forest. The Royal Academy was somewhere in the valley among the sea of mountains. It wasn't in a town or any city, which was reasonable judging by its size.

The entrance was a large stone gate decorated with flags represented the Houses of the Academy. Daichi did notice a bright black and red flag with the name 'Nekoma' written on it.

A large stone path led from the front gate to the nearest building which was very large and made of stone. Daichi guessed that it must be some kind of auditorium, and he wasn't wrong.

Students were gathered in front of the building. They came to help unload the luggage from the carriages. Someone who might be a professor of the Academy came to greet them and invite all of the new students to go inside.

Daichi grabbed his bags and followed the professor into the building. Honestly, he was nervous and he didn't feel good at all, but he couldn't just freak out, of course. If he did, then there was no hope for the 1st year students whose legs were already shaking.

"This place is huge," Hinata mumbled as he walked in, eyes darting everywhere despite the dimmed light since the sun had already set.

"And older than Karasuno," Tanaka added, walking in behind Hinata. Behind him came Ennoshita, Nishinoya, and Kageyama. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had already walked in before them.

"Well, it's the Royal Academy, there's only one for all their young nobles." Daichi shrugged, trying to appear nonchalantly. "Of course it's going to be huge."

"How did you know that?" Sugawara asked, blinking in confusion. "I haven't heard much about this place, honestly. At first I thought it would be just like our school."

"I'll tell you later," Daichi answered quickly, feeling his cheeks heated up a bit as he thought about Kuroo.

 

It didn't take long for all students from the South to get into the large hall and have a seat. The same professor from before, who had introduced himself as Professor Nobuteru Irihata and an advisor of House Aobajōsai, gave them a welcoming speech which wasn't too fake nor too friendly.

After the speech, the professor announced that the new semester would start in three days and that every exchange student would have a meeting here tomorrow about the classes they were going to attend. Lastly, he announced that the students from the South would be divided between Houses. Professor Irihata also added that in order for them to get the full experience as an exchange student, each exchange student would room with a current student of the Academy.

"I hope we can stay in the same house," Sugawara whispered to him while the professor paused to grab the list.

"Me too," Daichi and Asahi replied, eyes trained on Professor Irihata as he pulled up the first list.

"House Date!" He announced. "If I call your name, please step out with your luggage and line up at the right side of the room."

Daichi watched as each teenager was called, but there was no one he knew on the list. Beside him, Asahi sighed in relief that they wouldn't be separated, at least for now.

After the row of student was led out of the room by a tall student dressed in white and teal, Professor Irihata grabbed another list.

"Aobajōsai!"

Still, none of them were called. This time all three of them let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Shiratorizawa!"

Professor Irihata announced as a brown hair male dressed in white and turquoise leaded the exchange students out of the hall. Daichi took note that this student also scrunched his nose in disgust at the name 'Shiratorizawa'.

Unlike the first two Houses, this time a student from Karasuno was called.

"Tobio Kageyama!"

Hinata almost shouted in surprise as Kageyama stood up with a blank face and grabbed his luggage. However, Daichi could tell that his junior was very nervous.

"You'll be fine," Daichi said, patting Kageyama on the back as the 1st year walked passed him. Kageyama turned and offered him a smile, but it looked so forced that Daichi was sure even a five years old would be able to tell the difference.

"I worried about him. He's the only Karasuno student there." Sugawara spoke, sighing as he watched Kageyama and other students follow a stern face student dressed in white and maroon out of the hall.

"Me too," Daichi nodded, "but there is nothing we can do."

"I know." Sugawara sighed again, then turned his focus back to the professor as he announced the next House.

"House Nekoma!"

 _Nekoma, Kuroo's house._  Daichi thought, semi-consciously straightening up. Despite his preparation, the first name that came out of Professor Irihata's mouth was a surprise.

"Shōyō Hinata!"

"Me?!" Hinata almost jumped off his seat before he quickly grabbed his luggage and hurried to the side of the room after the professor glared at him.

"Ryūnosuke Tanaka"

Tanaka shouted out loud in joy that he would at least have Hinata in the same House. A glare was sent from the front of the room, and Daichi was about to scold Tanaka when his name was called as well.

"Daichi!" Both Sugawara and Asahi looked like they were about to cry, but Daichi could see the relief in both of their eyes that there would be someone to watch over Tanaka and Hinata.

However, as he walked to join both of them, Daichi remembered that Kuroo was also in this House. That knowledge alone sent a chill down his spine as he looked around for that grinning face, but Kuroo was nowhere to be found.

"Hi, my name is Morisuke Yaku. I am vice president of House Nekoma," a student with light brown hair and a small build greeted them. "Welcome to our family," he added, smiling a bit.

"Thank you."

"Nice to meet you too!"

Yaku smiled a bit as he regarded Hinata; however, as soon as Yaku's gaze landed on Tanaka, exhaustion immediately showed on his face. Daichi wondered what Yaku saw in Tanaka that made him make that kind of expression. He couldn't focus on Tanaka and Yaku for long, though, because his thoughts kept going back to a certain alpha.

 

Kuroo was still nowhere to be seen after the professor fished out a list for the next House and Yaku led the new members of House Nekoma out of the building. He then instructed them to walk after him only since the Academy was big and it was easy for newcomers to get lost. The vice president announced that there would be an Academy tour tomorrow afternoon for the exchange students, so they would gain their bearings quickly.

"Here we are."

After a several minutes' walk from the auditorium, Daichi and the rest of the exchange student found themselves standing in front of two large trees. They weren't just commonly large, either, but almost as large as the building he was in earlier.

"We sleep in a tree?" Hinata asked, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Yes," Yaku nodded, chuckling. "See that?" He pointed toward the nearest branch, which was several yards from the ground. Daichi followed Yaku's finger and blinked when he saw what it was. At first it looked like a giant flower bud on the branch, but when he looked carefully he saw that it was actually a small tree house built on the tree.

"A treehouse?!"

"That's amazing!"

A murmur spread among the exchange students, but Hinata and Tanaka still had to shout it out loud.

"Okay, after you guys calm down, I'll hand out the keys," Yaku continued after everyone had calmed down. "The tree on the right is for boys, the one on the left is for girls. When I call you, please step out, take the key, and go to your room. You can fly if you want."

"Yeah!" Hinata shouted in excitement at being allowed to fly. Beside him, Tanaka cursed in jealousy.

 

It didn't take long for Daichi to get his key. Actually, he, Hinata, and Tanaka were the very first to be called. They immediately made their way up the tree, and Daichi was impressed by the size of the wooden staircase inside the trunk. There were openings here and there alongside the staircase, leading to branches with treehouses.

"I wish I had wings," Tanaka groaned as they walked up and up, almost dragging their luggage behind them. Hinata was already ahead of them, flying up to his treehouse/room.

"My room is this way," Daichi said after he saw a sign on an opening, telling him that his room was on this branch. Tanaka looked at the sign and sighed because he still had two more levels to go.

"See you tomorrow, senpai," the beta said as he dragged himself up.

"See you tomorrow," Daichi nodded, taking a deep breath before turning and walking out.

The tree house was almost at the end of the branch. Daichi wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but this treehouse seemed to be larger than other ones he had seen. There was also a light glowing from inside.

 _So, my roommate is in there._  Daichi thought as he walked carefully toward the treehouse. There was no handrail along the branch so Daichi was a bit concerned that he might slip and fall despite how wide the branch was. Nevertheless, he made it into the treehouse without any accidents.

 _This is it,_  he thought, taking a deep breath and inserting the key. The door clicked softly and Daichi pushed it open.

"Oya, oya, oya,"

Daichi heard the voice before his brain registered who was standing there.

_Kuroo_

Daichi was starting to think that Mother Nature and the Goddess of Fortune might have a strong dislike of him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your supports guys! This really gets me going XD  
> Also, I will be adding more tags after I've updates chapter 3 ^^


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

"Good morning Daichi."

"Hm, good morning Suga."

"How are you doing?" Sugawara smiled and sat down beside him. Around them, the student started to fill up the cafeteria. It wouldn't take long until the place was full.

"I'm doing great," Daichi replied, picking up his glass. At first Sugawara was worried about him since Kuroo was an alpha (Daichi had told Sugawara the second day they got there about whom he was roomed with), even though a male omega and a male alpha sharing a room was generally accepted because they had their heat less frequently than female omegas. Female omegas were allowed to room with female betas only because they had their heat every two or three months while male omegas had theirs only twice a year.

Sugawara was afraid that Kuroo might try to take advantage of Daichi since omegas were more susceptive to alpha's pheromones than betas, making it easy for alphas to command them. However, Kuroo hadn't used his status as an alpha nor his pheromones to force anyone since they'd gotten there, alpha, beta, or omega alike. So, after several days of living in the new academy, Sugawara had stopped worrying about Daichi being taken advantage of.

"How about you?" Daichi asked Sugawara, looking at his friend.

"It went better than I expected." Sugawara answered, waving at some students who walked passed them. Daichi recognized the white-pink pin on their uniform and remembered that white and pink were the colors of House Wakutani, the House Sugawara was in.

It had been almost a week since they had arrived at the Royal Academy. Honestly, at first Daichi was expecting to be treat differently because they were from the South, but it seemed like most students here didn't care or didn't know about where they came from.

' _You worry too much. Not everyone is going to care about who you are. Politic_ _s_ _are_ _for the adult. We're still students_ _,_ _'_  was what Kuroo said to him the first day of the semester, as if sensing Daichi's stress. Daichi had to admit that the alpha's words had helped him relax a bit before walking out of their room.

Daichi didn't know what to feel about the alpha. Even though Kuroo's grin annoyed him sometimes, he had to admit that the alpha did help him a lot. On the first day, Kuroo dragged him around the Academy to give Daichi a personal tour after the official tour held by the Academy. He also introduced Daichi to some members of House Nekoma and went as far as threatening them that he would break their arms if they gave Daichi trouble. At first the omega thought that it was just a friendly and empty threat, but Yaku told him later that Kuroo was truly serious beneath that shit-eating grin.

' _The grin didn't reach his eyes_ ' was what made Yaku confident that Kuroo would truly break their arms if they annoyed Daichi. Daichi, who hadn't known what he should say back, had bluntly replied that the one who had been annoying him most was Kuroo. Yaku just chuckled and said that he would get used to it soon.

The first week passed without much happening – for Daichi at least. In the meeting the day after they had arrived at the Academy, each student received their class schedule. To Daichi's surprise, the classes he had to attend weren't much different than when he was at Karasuno. It seemed like the subjects that healer students had to study were the same for the North and the South.

Even though Daichi could say his first week was quite peaceful if he didn't count Kuroo teasing him here and there along with that smirk or his shit-eating grin, he couldn't say the same for all of them. For example, Tanaka. The beta was paired with another wingless beta named Yamamoto, and they fought on the first day despite how similar they were in personality. That was the first time Kuroo and Daichi had teamed up to smack both 2nd years. However, three days after growling at each other, Tanaka and Yamamoto had become best friends.

Another person who hadn't started out peacefully was Asahi. He and Nishinoya were sent to House Johzenji. The lively and carefree personality of the House suited Nishinoya, but it gave Asahi quite a rough week before he was used to it.

' _I feel like my lifespan ha_ _s_ _shortened'_  Asahi had said to them on his third day in the Academy, after having to chase after Nishinoya and other Johzenji 2nd year students before they ran off to prank people again. 'Last time they almost got in trouble! Why did they send me there? I feel like I have to take care of several Noyas at once.' The alpha groaned, resting his head on the table as Daichi and Sugawara tried their best to cheer him up.

Apart from Asahi, another person who didn't seem to enjoy his stay much was Tsukishima. The young beta had been sent with Yamaguchi to House Fukurōdani, but he didn't get along with the too-playful, friendly, and childish president of the House, Kōtarō Bokuto. Bokuto had taken it upon himself to drag the new members of the House, which were the exchange students and the freshmen, on the tour around the Academy. His upbeat and energetic personality annoyed Tsukishima to no end.

"By the way," Sugawara spoke up as they were about to finish their meal, "have you seen Kageyama?"

"Kageyama?" Daichi blinked, thinking about the only first year that he hadn't seen lately. "I think he uses the other cafeteria, the east one."

"Oh, right, that one is closer to House Shiratorizawa," Sugawara nodded. The Royal Academy had two cafeteria. One in the west and one in the east. The east one was close to Date, Shiratorizawa, and Aobajōsai, while the one on the west was closer to Nekoma, Fukurōdani, Johzenji, and Wakutani. "But I still worry about him. You know he's not good at making friends, and from what my friend in House Wakutani told me, the members of Shiratorizawa are the scariest among the students."

"Bakageyama is doing fine." The familiar voice came from their left and then Hinata appeared with a food tray in his hand. "Good morning senpais!" he added as he sat down beside Sugawara.

"Good morning Hinata"

Both Sugawara and Daichi greeted the boy before Sugawara pestered Hinata questions about how Kageyama was doing. Sometimes Daichi had the feeling that Sugawara was like a mom for the first years.

"I talked to him in class," Hinata replied, chewing as he talked but both Sugawara and Daichi were so focused on getting Kageyama's story that they let it slide. "He's like when we're at Karasuno, but more serious. And he no longer has free-time for snacks with friends! " _I have more study_ _ing_ _to do or I won't be able to catch up!_ " he dared to say that when he's only second to Tsukishima on the pre-test!" Hinata complained, taking another bite. "Honestly, I think he's even more competitive than before, and it's scary."

"Do you know who he's roomed with?" Daichi asked, guessing that Kageyama might have been paired with a very hard-working and competitive student.

"Dunno," Hinata shook his head, to their disappointment. "Oh! Also, he seems to be tired all the time. Not tired like someone who worked out just before class, but like someone who hasn't slept well. I've no idea how he makes himself stay awake all the time in those boring lectures!"

 _And you said he was doing fine!_  Daichi was sure that Sugawara was having the same thought as him. However, their morning class would start soon, so Daichi and Sugawara decided that they would talk about Kageyama later.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"Sawamura-kun, are you free tomorrow afternoon?"

"Hm?" Daichi pulled himself away from the homework for his herb class. "I'm free."

"Excellent!" Kuroo clapped his hand. The alpha was perching on his desk with his wings spread as wide as they wanted, like always, a book in his hand. Daichi had no idea why Kuroo loved to sit on the desk and put his feet on the chair so much. "Tomorrow we're having a picnic, and you're going with me."

"What?"  _Picnic? What?_

"Yes! A picnic!" Kuroo repeated with a voice and a grin that never ceased to annoy Daichi. "You know what picnic is, right? Food, lunch, outside! On the grass!"

"I know what a picnic is!" Daichi had no idea how Kuroo succeeded in provoking him in nearly every way possible, but he certainly did. "But what's the occasion?" The strain in his voice showed that Daichi was trying his best to stay calm, especially when Kuroo had his trademark grin on. It's a kind of grin Daichi often saw when the alpha had succeeded in provoking someone.

"A friendly occasion?" Kuroo replied, shrugging. His grin faltered a bit as he continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "Bokuto was the one asking if anyone wanted to have a picnic on Saturday afternoon, and when he asks you he means that you have to show up or he'll break into your room and drag you with him."

 _Maybe I'm lucky I_ _'m not_ _room_ _ing_ _with this Bokuto._  "So, you're dragging me along to suffer with you?" Daichi asked, raising his eyebrows.

Kuroo's grin answered it all.

 

 

After finishing his homework, Daichi decided to take a bath and go to bed. He was grateful that every treehouse had its own bathroom. Communal showers were what Daichi was most afraid of. He would only be able to shower when there was nobody there, which meant that he had to get up very early or shower very late at night.

Daichi risked a glance toward the alpha to see what he was doing before grabbing his clothes. Kuroo was still reading his book so Daichi quickly went into the bathroom and closed the door.

Once he was inside, the omega sighed before slowly shredding his clothes. It wasn't until he was naked that Daichi looked up at the mirror.

_I don't have much time. If I'm going to do it,_ _I have to_ _do it now._

The only article of clothing still on him were the strips of fabric going across his chest, keeping his wings pressed against his back.

Daichi's hands shook a bit as he undid the restraints. Slowly, one by one, they fell to the floor. Along with them fell broken, solid-black feathers.

After all the restraints were on the floor, Daichi slowly unfurled his wings. He had to bite his lower lip to keep himself quiet when jolts of pain shot through his body as his cramped muscles slowly relaxed. Tears appeared at the corners of his eyes and Daichi wiped them away quickly. His wings shook as they were finally able to stretch out.

Daichi never groomed his wings. He didn't have the chance or the knowledge to do so. As a result, more broken feathers immediately fell around him as soon as he moved his wings even a little.

" _You have to groom your wings frequently if you want to keep your feathers healthy_ _,_ " was what he had heard the teachers tell the winged students when he was young. Daichi let out a sigh before slowly raising his wings up. Weak from disuse and neglect, his wings shook as they raised and fully stretched out. In the mirror, what Daichi saw was solid blackness stretching out behind him. Because Daichi had never used his them, his wings were a lot shorter and thinner than other people's wings, even shorter and thinner than Hinata's and Nishinoya's.

" _Oh God, what did I do to deserve this demon?"_

" _A b_ _lack bird must never fly!"_

" _Should we rip his wings off? Should we let him live?"_

As his parents' words came back to him, Daichi bit back the pain and took a deep breath, telling himself that he was lucky to be alive.

After forcing his wings to stretch out until they shook, Daichi slowly folded them back. This was as much exercise as he could give them.

He cleaned everything up quickly after his bath, making sure to wipe every corner of the bathroom clean of any feathers. Daichi put all of his feathers in a small black pouch and hidden it inside a pile of dirty clothes as he exited the bathroom. He hadn't figured out a way to dispose them yet. However, judging from the size of the pouch, Daichi decided that he still had at least a month or two before the pouch was full.

 

When Daichi exited the bathroom, Kuroo looked up from his book.

"You didn't use all the hot water, right?" The alpha asked, closing the book in his hand and placing it down on the desk. "You were in there for ages."

"Stop pouting, I didn't take that long," Daichi shot back with a stern face. Despite his exterior calm, inside he was panicking. His grip on the used clothes tightened and his heartrate kicked up.

_Was I in there that long? What if Kuroo becomes suspicious? No, no…it cannot be._

"I almost fell asleep," Kuroo's reply pulled Daichi from his train of thoughts as the alpha hopped down from his desk, his dark brown wings folded back neatly as he walked toward his wardrobe. Kuroo disappeared into the bathroom with an empty threat that he was going to kick Daichi out if there was no hot water left.

Daichi rolled his eyes at Kuroo's annoying whine before quickly hid the pouch in his wardrobe before dumping the used clothes on a basket nearby. His heartrate finally slowed down as he felt relief flooded his system.  _I will be okay._  He told himself.  _I will be okay. I've cleaned the bathroom. As long as I take care of those feathers, Kuroo won't notice a thing._

However, as Daichi laid down his bed, he realized that no matter how often the alpha loved to flaunt his wings, especially when Daichi was around, he never saw a single feather fall from Kuroo's wings.

 _That's what healthy wings look like_ _, a_  voice in his head spoke up. Daichi hated to agree that it was right. Kuroo's wings were broad, strong, and healthy. It was clear that the alpha must groom his wings frequently.

 _I'm so jealous of him._  Daichi thought, sighing as he moved to lay on his side. Unless he was alone and there wasn't a need to restraint his wings, Daichi would never sleep on his back. It's the best way to prevent his wings from taking his weight and getting worse cramps than they always got from being pressed against his back all the time.

 

He was almost asleep when Kuroo walked out from the bathroom. The alpha was wearing only a simple red-black pants. His hair was dammed and there're water drops on his upper body and wings. Daichi tried his best not to look as Kuroo walked toward a towel stand and grabbed a dry towel to wipe the rest of the water from his body and wings.

"Don't get water on the floor," Daichi murmured as he watched Kuroo dried himself off, trying his best not to take in the taut stomach and the defined muscles of his arms. Suddenly, alpha turned toward him and their eyes met. A grin was on Kuroo's face.

 _Will he ever stop grinning?_  Daichi though, casting his eyes away, cheeks blushing.

"Like what you see?" came a question that made Daichi's cheeks heated up even more.

"Shut up." He grunted back, pulling the cover over his head. Yet, it didn't stop him from hearing Kuroo's laugh nor the alpha's movement as he moved around the room.

 _I wish that this treehouse had separated bedrooms instead one giant room and a bathroom._  Daichi thought, closing his eyes and trying his best to get some sleep.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

At first Daichi thought that the 'picnic' Kuroo mentioned meant taking food outside and had a small party on a green yard of the Academy. Despite housing many facilities, the Academy still managed to have many trees and yards covered in grass and flowers. However, what Kuroo actually meant by 'picnic' was getting out of bed quickly, getting dressed, and gathering with other students at the gate of the school. Bokuto and the rest were already there with horses and a carriage.

"Kurooo!" Bokuto, an alpha with wings that resembled those of a great horned owl, shouted as soon as Daichi and Kuroo arrived. "I thought you were going to bring Kozume or Yaku!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I think he's more fun than Kenma and Yaku," Kuroo replied, smiling. Daichi vaguely remembered Hinata saying that he was roomed with a beta called Kenma. That must be who Kuroo was referring to.

"Maybe he is," Bokuto replied, grinning as he introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Kōtarō Bokuto and this is Keiji Akaashi!"

"Nice to meet you," the dark hair beta, Akaashi, spoke with a neutral expression, the very opposite of Bokuto's really excited one. His wings resembled the wings of a tawny owl.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Daichi Sawamura." Daichi introduced himself to both of them. "Both of you're from House Fukurōdani, right?"

"Yes. Bokuto's the president of our House, actually," Akaashi nodded, gesturing toward Bokuto who was chatting with Kuroo.

"So, he's Bokuto, the most talkative President this academy has ever had?" Daichi asked, turning the message he had heard from other students from 'never shuts up' to 'talkative'.

"Yes, that's right." Akaashi blinked, seeming surprised by the polite way Daichi described Bokuto. Nevertheless, the beta's lips curved up into a soft smile. "You're from the South, right?"

"Correct," Daichi nodded, waiting for a disgust to be shown, but Akaashi still remained neutral. This made the omega relax a bit.

"How many people are going to the picnic today?" Daichi asked, looking around. There were several people here already, half winged and half wingless.

"A lot, mostly the presidents of each House." Akaashi replied. "Or those who were unlucky enough to be invited by Bokuto-san. Everyone is almost here except for those from Shiratorizawa and Aobajōsai."

_Shiratorizawa, the House Kageyama is in. I wish I kn_ _e_ _w how he's doing…_

"There they are." Akaashi called out, gesturing toward an approaching group of people. "Those're the Shiratorizawa guys."

Daichi followed Akaashi's eyes, and the first thing he noticed were the white wings of the person leading the group. He had short, dark olive-brown hair and dark olive eyes. Daichi couldn't make out his expression yet but he could see that the student was tall with broad shoulders, and a muscular yet lean built.  _Actually, he's quite intimidating._

"That's Wakatoshi Ushijima," Akaashi spoke, his expression unchanged as he pointed at the leader of the group, the one with white wings. "I'm sure that Oikawa-san will be extra-salty when he knows that Ushijima-san arrived before him."

"They're rivals?" Daichi asked, interested. He remembered that Oikawa was the President of House Aobajōsai.

"From Oikawa's point of view, yes," it's not Akaashi who answered this time, but Kuroo. Daichi still didn't know how he manages to appear beside him out of nowhere. "But Ushijima has never considered anyone as his rival, really, and he's blunt as hell," the alpha added, his mouth pulled into a cocky smirk.

"Blunt?"

"Normally he doesn't talk much, but when he does, he always says what he thinks. Most of the time he'll be too blunt and sometimes he hurts somebody's feelings," Akaashi was the one to explain. "But he's not an asshole, I can guarantee that."

"Ushijima…" Daichi nodded, trying to remember the name. "What about the others?" He gestured at the figures walking behind Ushijuma. Their features became clearer as they walked closer and closer to the gathering place.

"That lanky redhead is Satori Tendō." Akaashi answered, taking a step forward to take a better look. "And that boy with the bowl-cut is Tsutomu Goshiki. He's a first year." Akaashi trailed off as his eyes landed on the last person to appear behind Ushijima. "Wait…I don't know that one." The beta frowned at the last student walking behind Ushijuma, but Daichi knew who he was.

"That's Kageyama." Daichi blinked, surprised. "Tobio Kageyama, first year." Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Kuroo looking at the Shiratorizawa group with interest. However, the alpha turned back to grin at him as soon as he knew that Daichi was looking, prompting Daichi to look away quickly with a slight blush.

"Oh," Akaashi immediately caught on. "Your junior from Karasuno?" The beta asked, unaware of what had just happened in the second before.

"Yes," Daichi nodded, eyes fixed on Kageyama as the younger student walked closer to them.

 _Kageyama is taller than me, but he look_ _s_ _so sh_ _o_ _rt walking behind these guys,_  Daichi thought as he watched the group from Shiratorizawa approach them.  _If I ha_ _d_ _to guess, I_ _would say_ _that Ushijima is an alpha, totally_ _an_ _alpha_ _,_ he added, watching Bokuto greet them with a huge smile on his face.

"Kageyama!" Daichi called as soon as the other was within hearing range. Kageyama looked up and Daichi immediately understood what Hinata meant. Kageyama looked like he hadn't slept for ages.

"Senpai." Despite how exhausted he looked, Kageyama still managed to acknowledge him and return the greeting. As Kageyama walked toward him, Kuroo immediately moved away to join Bokuto in the greeting, pulling Akaashi along with him. This gave Daichi the strange feeling that Kuroo wanted to give him some time alone with Kageyama. Nevertheless, Daichi quickly pushed that thought away, telling himself that it was just a coincidence.

"What happened to you?" Daichi frowned, looking Kageyama up and down. "The last time I saw you, you didn't have those bags under your eyes," he added.

"I, um…" Kageyama scratched the back of his neck. "I might overwork myself a bit."

"Overwork? This is beyond overworking." Daichi shook his head. "Kageyama, I don't know how competitive your roommate has been, but you can't skip sleep like this. Your health is important too, and don't you dare forget about that."

"Sorry senpai. I will sleep more, I promise." If there was one thing about Kageyama that Daichi liked, it was that the boy took advice easily (too easily sometimes) without arguing much.

 

It didn't take long for the group from Aobajōsai to arrive. True to Akaashi's words, Oikawa – a male beta with brown hair and turquoise wings who was the President of House Aobajōsai – was salty when he learnt that the students from Shiratorizawa had arrived before them. Nevertheless, a wingless alpha that came with Oikawa, the Vice-president of House Aobajōsai, was quick to kick Oikawa's ass and spared the others the salty comments.

After everyone had arrived, they quickly got to work. The winged students went ahead to check out the picnic place and decide if they needed to change the place or not. While the winged students went ahead, the wingless ones would follow on horses. Their lunch and belongings were put in the carriage.

"Will you be okay if I go ahead?"

Kuroo was immediately back beside Daichi as soon as Bokuto signalled every winged student to be ready for take-off. There was a teasing grin on his face, but there was also a slight concern. Daichi had no idea if he should be flattered or frustrated.

"I will. You don't have to worry about me." He replied, hating that his voice always showed how he felt when he was around the alpha.

Kuroo's grin widened, amusement clear in his eyes.

"See you, then."

The alpha spread his wings and took to the sky. Around them, the winged students all spread their wings and shot upward, and Daichi couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy.

 

While they travelled to the picnic place by horse, Daichi had a chance to ride beside Kageyama since the other students from House Shiratorizawa had wings. Grateful for this opportunity, he wasn't hesitant in asking the younger male how he was doing.

Kageyama hesitated at first, but slowly started telling him about the classes, and then admitted that he was taking more classes than the ones needed to become a healer.

"Everyone in Shiratorizawa is so good at everything," Kageyama explained when Daichi asked why the younger male had to push himself that hard. "Their healer students can do combat and also take classes in politics. I don't want to be left behind."

 _Shit, this House is crazy_ _._ _N_ _o wonder Kageyama has pushed himself this hard_ _,_  Daichi thought as he listened to Kageyama talk about how great every Shiratorizawa member seemed to be at everything.

"Oh, by the way, Kageyama, who is your roommate? The first year that came with you? Tsutomu Goshiki, right?" Daichi asked, picturing Kageyama and that first year together.  _Well, Goshiki seemed to be a very competitive type,_ _it's_ _no_ _surprise that_ _Kageyama is so worked up._

"No." Kageyama shook his head, catching Daichi off guard. "At first I was roomed with another first year whose name I didn't catch. However, they decided to change my room a day before the semester started. I'm now roomed with Ushijima-san."

_What?!_

"Ushijima? The President of House Shiratorizawa?" Daichi tried his best not to gape as he waited for the answer.

"Yes," Kageyama nodded nonchalantly. If Daichi wasn't used to Kageyama's way of communication, he would think that the younger male didn't want to talk to him or was trying to piss him off.

"Did they tell you the reason for the new arrangement?" Daichi asked, urging his horse to go a little faster when the horses in front of them picked up their pace.

"Yes," Kageyama nodded again. This time, Daichi could see an embarrassment and something close to guilt flash through Kageyama's eyes. "I… it's because I suck at communication and pissed my new roommate off when I tried to tell him that he should take a bathe because he stunk."

"Let me guess, you just said; 'you stink, you should take a bath' something like that, right?" Daichi said with a sigh. He knew that most of the time Kageyama wasn't trying to piss anyone off, he was just not good at understanding people's feelings and reading the situation, and therefore tended to have a poor choice of words to get his point across. To make it short, sometimes Kageyama was very bad at talking to people.

"Yes." Kageyama now seemed to be even more embarrassed. Daichi had to admit that the guilty look in Kageyama's eyes did break his heart a bit because Kageyama was aware of what he was bad at and had been trying hard to improve himself. "Tendō-san was there when we started shouting and he stopped my old roommate from punching me. After that he said that he had a brilliant idea. He then disappeared and came back to tell me that I would be sharing the room with Ushijima-san instead."

"Did he tell you why it had to be Ushijima?"

"He said that the best way to protect me from the wrath of the first year was to have me roomed with the President of the House." Kageyama replied. "And he also said that…um… I'm quoting him here,  _"Since you're dumb as shit and Wakatoshi-chan is blunt as fuck, you're perfect roommate_ _s_ _for each other_ _,_ _"_  and something about waiting for something fun. I didn't catch that part. Sorry."

"Ah…it's okay." Daichi shook his head, chuckling softly.  _This Tendō is a genius_ _,_ he thought. "So what's it like, rooming with Ushijima?"

"Um, peaceful I guess," Kageyama replied, shrugging. "Well… he seems to be very busy all the time and I don't have anything to talk about. No, I…that's not what I meant. I mean, I don't know what to talk to him about. I'm not good at small talk, and I already pissed one of the House members off, so I stay quiet most of the time."

"Oh, okay" Daichi blinked, surprised.  _Well, Ushijima d_ _oes_ _look like the quiet type._

Despite wanting to know more about Kageyama's life in House Shiratorizawa, Daichi decided that that was enough for today. Kageyama seemed to be stressed enough about studying, so Daichi decided to talk about light stuff liked the weather, old time when they were at Karasuno, etc. His plan seemed to be working well, since Kageyama started to relax more after that.

 

 

"Oya, oya, oya, how was your journey?"

Kuroo came to greet him as soon as Daichi got down from his horse. The alpha had firewood in one arm, his large wings rustling softly and generating a soft breeze towards Daichi.

"Fine," Daichi replied before he let one of the Wakutani first years take the horse away (House Wakutani was in charge of taking care of the horses and carriage for this picnic). "So… this is the place we're going to have lunch?" Daichi asked, looking around. Right now, they were at an opening in the forest that connected to a small lake. Tall trees loomed along nearly every side of the lake except for the furthest corner, which was connected to a waterfall. Behind the waterfall was a giant mountain.

 _This place is amazing,_  Daichi thought, watching a group of waterfowl fly down to the lake. "This place is so beautiful," he told Kuroo, and was surprised when the alpha replied to him with a genuine smile instead of his usual grin.

"It is." Kuroo nodded, his head turning to look around the place. "Come on, I'll show you the best spot."

Daichi followed Kuroo as the alpha leaded him toward a giant flat rock. It was as tall as a carriage and wide enough for nine or ten people to sit on comfortably.

"Up here," Kuroo said, climbing up the rock and standing with his wings stretched back, "this rock has the best view."

Daichi followed the alpha up and took in the view. Kuroo wasn't wrong, he could see the view better when standing on this rock.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't you dare slack off while we work, Kuroo!" Bokuto's loud shout made Daichi jump, while Kuroo just rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"You're the one who invited me! It's fair that you have to do extra work," Kuroo shouted back, but jumped off the rock nonetheless. Daichi followed suit.

Both of them went to help Bokuto get the food up the rock. Daichi noticed that most of the food was just fruits and vegetables, but then he started to spot raw meat and fish.

"Both of them want the food freshly cooked," Akaashi explained to him as soon as Daichi started to get a questioning look on his face.

"So, we're cooking up there?"

"Yes," Akaashi nodded. His expression remained neutral. "Bokuto-san can be a skilful magic user when he wants to be. You'll see."

 

True to what Akaashi said, Bokuto was quite good at magic when he wanted to be. That's why eight of them (Kuroo, Daichi, Bokuto, Akaashi, Ushijima, Kageyama, Tendō, and Goshiki) were sitting in a circle on the rock. In the middle were two small bonfires created by Bokuto with pot and pan floating above them. The meat went on the pan while the vegetables went in the pot.

Of course, most of the people in their little circle focused on the meat. At first, Daichi didn't understand why Akaashi leaned back very far when the meat strips on the pan were almost ready. But then he looked at the others' faces and immediately leaned back too, as nearly everyone in the group, except for Ushijima whose expression hadn't changed since they had met, has a 'I-will-kill-you-if-you-steal-my-meat-or-get-in-my-way' look on their faces.

As soon as the meat was ready, a scary competition began. All Daichi could do was lean back and watch the rest of the group try to kill each other for the meat.  _Even Ushijima participates,_  Daichi thought as he watched Kuroo smack Bokuto's head after the president of House Fukurōdani was able to pick up more meat than him. However, one thing that caught Daichi's eye was Ushijima offering half the meat he had gotten from the first competition to Kageyama. The first year refused, of course, but in the end Ushijima just picked up half the meat and dumped it onto Kageyama's plate.

"Surprised?" Kuroo whispered into his ears, almost making Daichi jump.

"Huh?!" He turned abruptly, almost growling at the alpha. "Don't do that!" Daichi hissed, cheeks red.  _What the heck?! Why_ _does_ _he always make me blush?!_

"About Ushijima taking care of your junior," Kuroo continued without bothering to hide his grin. Daichi had a feeling that the black-haired alpha was happy to be able to catch him off guard time and time again. "Because he doesn't talk much, people tend to think that he doesn't care. The truth is, he always takes care of anyone under his wing."

"I can see that" Daichi replied, watching Ushijima dump a small pile of vegetable on Kageyama's plate as well. Kageyama looked half embarrassed yet half grateful, and finally decided to thank the white winged alpha before digging in.

"You should eat too, you know," Kuroo said, already reaching for the tray of raw meat to put on the pan. Daichi was about to say that he had to wait for the next round since he didn't get anything in the first one, but then he looked down and saw that half of everything Kuroo was able to get in the first round was on his plate.

Daichi wasn't sure what his expression was, but it made Kuroo laugh softly before leaning in close, their noses almost touching. There was an unreadable expression in Kuroo's hazel eyes, but the proximity and the chill running down his spine prevented Daichi from deciphering it.

"Hey, Ushijima isn't the only one who knows how to take care of people he cares about," Kuroo spoke, voice dipping down a bit, before he pulled away and turned to chat with Bokuto.

As for Daichi? Well, he was sure that his face and ears might have burn to ashes soon.

_Damnit, Kuroo!_

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been shipping UshiKage for a while now (even that this pairing is like a driftwood among other ships in this fandom ;w;), I think they'll do great together since they're so...how should I phrase it...they are so blunt? I mean; Ushijima is probably one of the few persons who won't be upset by Kageyama's (too) blunt way of stating things. So, I think they will do great together XD
> 
> Also, thank you so much for your supports guys! I will try to update the next chapter as soon as possible ^^


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

"You should eat more."

"Kuroo, I'm stuffed."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes!" Daichi groaned, leaning back as he watched Kuroo still enjoying the meal. "How can you eat that much?"

"Hm," Kuroo raised his eyebrows, still chewing on whatever he had just stuffed in his mouth. "Dunno, maybe because Bokuto is still eating and I don't want to lose to him?"

"You alphas, with your weird need to compete with each other all the time." Daichi shook his head with a sigh, watching Kuroo fight Bokuto for another round of grilled meat. However, it was only Kuroo and Bokuto who still wanted to eat. From the corner of his eye, Daichi saw Kageyama doing his best to refuse another portion from Ushijima.

"Sawamura-san"

"Yes?" Sawamura titled his head at Akaashi's call. The beta had already gotten up and was gathering some empty containers.

"I am going to go wash these," the beta said. "If Bokuto-san starts yelling for me, please tell him that I'm at the lake."

"Actually, I'll go with you," Daichi decided, pushing himself to stand up. "Kuroo, I'm going to wash those containers with Akaashi," he said, tapping the alpha's shoulder.

"Hm? Okay." Kuroo glanced up from the pan and nodded. "I'll join you soon, after I beat Bokuto."

"Bring it!" Bokuto shouted, very eager for another competition. Daichi couldn't help but roll his eyes as he helped Akaashi gather the empty containers and made their way down from the rock.

 

"Senpai!"

Daichi and Akaashi were halfway to the lake when Kageyama caught up with them. "Please let me help!"

"The more the merrier." Daichi nodded, smiling as Kageyama immediately grabbed some containers from them. They headed towards the lake and carefully crouched down where the water was shallowest.

"How often do you guys come here?" Daichi decided to start a conversation. "This place is beautiful."

"Mostly it depends on the season. In spring and summer we come here nearly every weekend. It's one of the closest picnic places to the Academy," Akaashi replied. His wings extended a bit to help him keep his balance. Behind them, along the shore, other students seemed to be finishing up their meals as well.

 _Yeah, I agree_ _with_ _that. This Academy is very far from any town, so the students don't get to go anywhere much_ _,_  Daichi thought as he dipped another container into the water.  _Well, it's not like I've_ _got_ _places to go_ _,_ _anyway._

They finished washing the containers at the same time that other students came to the lake to wash theirs. When they got back to the rock, Kuroo and others had finished up.

"We'll take care the rest," Kuroo said, sliding down from the rock along with Bokuto and Goshiki, who seemed to be very eager to help. Back up on the rock, Ushijima and Tendō were cleaning and clearing it off any used firewood.

"What's next?" Daichi asked as they arranged the already washed container on a nearby rock, letting the sun dry them. "Will we head back soon?"

"No," Akaashi shook his head. "I'm sure that we will nap a bit before Bokuto asks if anyone wants to fly."

"Oh, I see," Daichi nodded, doing his best to keep the melancholy feeling in his heart at bay. Beside him, Kageyama fidgeted a bit but stopped when Daichi turned to ask if he was okay.

 

The three of them ended up on their backs in the grass, watching the clouds. Kageyama was fast asleep in less than ten minutes after his head hit the grass, leaving Daichi with Akaashi.

On the outside Daichi might look calm, but inside he was thinking hard about if he should ask Akaashi what he wanted to know or not. He'd chosen Akaashi over the others because the beta seemed to be the most decent choice he had and he was sure Akaashi would give him a straight answer. In the end, Daichi decided that it was now or never.

"Akaashi"

"Yes, Sawamura-san?"

"May I ask you something?"

"Go ahead"

"What is House Fukurōdani's specialty? Kuroo told me that Date is best at defenses and that Aobajōsai is a House for magic users."

"We're like owls. Hunters, researchers, observers," Akaashi replied. "Unlike other Houses, our abilities and characteristics might still be obvious after we graduate, especially in those who join the army. We're mostly sent to the intelligence unit. Please don't use Bokuto as the example of Fukurōdani. He can only be what House Fukurōdani describes its members when he's serious."

"I can see that," Daichi chuckled, understanding the hidden 'Bokuto is hyper as shit and will never be a good observer until he finally decides to focus on something fully' that Akaashi didn't say.  _But now I know why Tsukishima was sent to Fukurōdani. That first year does have the traits that Akaashi_ _described_ _;_ _he's_ _observant_ _and researches every situation_ _._

Daichi still had another question on his mind. "What about Nekoma?"

"Nekoma?"

"Yes," Daichi nodded. "Kuroo explained it to me once, but I couldn't follow what he was saying. He said that members of Nekoma are like cats;  _"good at watching, planning, and catching, especially catching something that fascinates us"_  was what he said."

"I see," Akaashi mused, eyes still looking at the clouds above. "House Nekoma's specialties are quite hard to define. The members of House Nekoma  _are_  like cats. They're hunters, but a different kind of hunter than Fukurōdani. While owls watch and wait for their prey to show themselves before striking, cats followed their prey around. They hide, plan, and develop their strategies until they come up with the best one. Then, they strike. Students of House Nekoma are also known for their flexibility and unpredictability. Most of them who continue to the army usually become assassins, spies, or strategists."

"That suits Kuroo well," Daichi said as he thought about the way Kuroo carried himself. He couldn't deny that he saw some feline-liked traits in the alpha, like the way Kuroo stretched and perched. Daichi almost said out loud that Kuroo was like a cocky cat with wings. "But that doesn't explain why I was sent to Nekoma."

"I don't know for sure, but I heard the professors saying that they randomized the Houses for the third and second years from the South."

"Oh, that explains a lot," Daichi groaned, covering his face with his hands.  _It seems like Goddess of Fortune_ _really does_ _dislike me a lot._

After that, Daichi and Akaashi changed the topic to lighter things, like classes. Akaashi told Daichi that he was primarily a magic-use student while Bokuto and Kuroo were expected to be focused on politics and combats. However, both alphas took classes beyond what they were expected to.

"Bokuto-san and Kuroo-san's families are… more famous than mine," Akaashi said. "And both of them are expected to be the next leader as well."

"I can image it," Daichi said. Despite his laidback personality and unlimited teasing, Daichi was aware that Kuroo could carry himself with grace and dignity when he needed to. This Academy was for the young nobles of the kingdom, after all. "What extra classes do they take?"

"They both take basic healing and magic classes, the same as what is required for those who want to be a healer or a magic user," Akaashi answered.

"How do they make it work?" Daichi's eyes widened at what Akaashi said. "How? It means they have, like, a ton of things to study at the same time?"

"They take summer course in the subjects they can't cover within a normal semester," was the answer from Akaashi. "Honestly, I have no idea how they make it work, but they do. And they're not the only ones doing this. Ushijima-san and Oikawa-san are in the same situation, although Oikawa-san takes even more extra courses than he has to because he doesn't want to lose to Ushijima-san."

"I've heard that many students from House Shiratorizawa take extra classes as well," Daichi stated, glancing at Kageyama seeping soundly beside him.

"Being good at everything or being the best in something is in House Shiratorizawa students' character, or at least their potential," Akaashi replied. "House Shiratorizawa is where the genius are sent to."

"I see." Daichi nodded. Before he could continue, there was a loud voice calling from their left.

"Hey, hey, hey!" It was Bokuto, and the alpha was pointing toward the sky. "Let's go! The sky's very nice today!"

"I will pass –" Akaashi started, but was quickly dragged up to his feet by the energetic alpha.

"Come on! You love flying with me, Akaashi!" Bokuto's wings spread out as he spoke loudly. Daichi sat up and noticed that Akaashi was blushing slightly.

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi spoke with such a quiet voice that Daichi almost missed it, "please don't say something like that out lout. It's embarrassing."

"Come on then!" Bokuto didn't seem to hear it as he dragged Akaashi off with him. The beta turned to offer Daichi an apologetic smile before he let Bokuto pull him away.

"Such a lovely couple, aren't they?"

"Kuroo!"

Again, Kuroo appeared out of thin air. Daichi almost jumped before glaring at Kuroo, who sat down with a nonchalant smirk on his face, his dark-brown wings spread out behind him. However, before Daichi could start complaining that he hated it when Kuroo just showed up out of nowhere, especially from behind him, something clicked in his head about Akaashi and Bokuto after he registered what Kuroo had just said.

"Bokuto and Akaashi, they're dating?" he turned to ask the alpha. Kuroo glanced at him and nodded.

"Yup," Kuroo nodded, grinning as he turned to look at Daichi. "Those stupid owls were so hopeless that I decided to play matchmaker. Still, it took them a whole semester of mutual pinning before they confessed their feelings."

"Which means you're not a good matchmaker, then, since it took a whole semester for them to finally get together?" Daichi teased back.

"If they didn't have me, it would've take them years." Kuroo immediately defended himself, but the spark in his eyes told Daichi that he wasn't serious about it. "Believe me, both Akaashi and Bokuto can be the stupidest people in the world sometimes."

"I might believe that if it wasn't from you."

"Really? My goodness Sawamura-kun, you know how to break someone's heart." Kuroo whined, pretending Daichi had just stabbed him in the heart. However, this time Daichi didn't shoot a quip back because what Kuroo had said reminded him of something.

" _A b_ _lack bird! Great, this bad omen knows how to break his parents' hearts."_

It was from one of his relatives. Daichi wasn't sure who said it, but it hurt him so badly that he ran away in the middle of winter. If not for his grandmother going out to find him, Daichi would have died from the cold. His grandmother had promised to protect him for as long as she lived. When she passed away, the rest of his family blamed him for it. They said that her life was shortened because she spent time with him.

Daichi felt bitterness rising up as he tried to push the memory away. However, what truly pulled him back was Kuroo's voice.

"Sawamura-kun?" The alpha called to him, his voice lacking his usual cockiness.

"Sorry," Daichi replied quietly, not confident enough to meet Kuroo's eyes. "Why don't you go fly with them?" He changed the subject, trying his best to keep his voice normal, pointing up at the sky where other winged students were already there. "They seem to be having fun."

Kuroo didn't answer, but Daichi knew Kuroo was watching him. The weight of the alpha's gaze made him fidget, but before Daichi could turn and ask if something was wrong, Kuroo was already standing up.

Without speaking, Kuroo spread his wings. Daichi watched as the alpha stepped back, lowering himself and jumping up. He watched those powerful wings beat up and down as Kuroo pushed himself higher and higher into the sky. At the right angle, the sunlight made those dark brown wings radiate with gold.

Daichi wasn't sure how long he sat there, watching Kuroo fly around. The alpha was a work of art, but he was also raw and wild. Seeing Kuroo so free up in the sky made Daichi's stomach flip in both a good and bad way, and he semi-consciously pressed his already restrained wings harder against his back.

 _I'm jealous._  Daichi sighed, closing his eyes. A gentle breeze blew past and Daichi opened his eyes when he heard the whisper of wings flapping. However, when he turned toward the source, it was not Kuroo, but Ushijima.

 _Ushijima?_  Daichi thought as he watched the President of House Shiratorizawa slowly sit down beside Kageyama. One of his wing extended out, shielding the first year from sunlight as the clouds were blown away by the wind. Daichi watched with interest. He had never thought that Ushijima was this caring.

 _What should I do? Should I try to start a conversation?_  Daichi thought. He was sure that Ushijima was not the type of person who started the conversation first. However, he didn't know what to say to the alpha. During the meal, the ones who talked the most were Bokuto, Kuroo, and Tendō. Ushijima had barely said anything.

"How is he?" Nevertheless, Daichi still managed to find something to say. He gestured toward Kageyama after he ended his sentence and waited for the response.

"He's a hard-working student, one of the most determined I've ever met," Ushijima replied, his eyes moving to look at Daichi and then at Kageyama, who was still sleeping soundly.

Satisfied that he had Ushijima's interest, Daichi continued. "I worry about him."

Ushijima didn't reply to him, only raised his eyebrows in question. Daichi took that as a cue to explain. "He was hard working back in Karasuno, but he always got enough sleep. With how high the competition levels in your House are, I worry about his health."

"I will make sure he gets enough sleep." Ushijima replied. His voice was monotonous as always, but also genuine.

After that they sat in silence. Daichi, contented that he had made sure Kageyama was in good hands (he had no idea if he could trust Ushijima, but his gut-feeling said that he could), turned back to watch the sky and the winged students. Despite lacking the ability to fly and the melancholy sitting heavily in his mind, Daichi's eyes still followed the movement of one winged student, the one with broad dark brown wings that looked gold underneath the sunlight.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

They made it back to the Academy an hour before dinner. Daichi was quiet most of the way, riding alongside Kageyama who wasn't fully awake from his afternoon nap yet. Above them, the winged students either flew ahead or just flew around. Daichi caught sight of Kuroo once or twice, but he put more focus in controlling his horse than looking for a certain alpha.

Kuroo was already waiting for him at the gate when he arrived. The alpha didn't say anything as they unloaded the carriage. Daichi let some second-year students take the horse away while he helped Akaashi count the containers before returning them to the cafeteria.

"So, was it fun?"

Kuroo was beside him as soon as Daichi parted his way with Akaashi.

"What?" He raised his eyebrows, but fully understood what Kuroo wanted to ask.

"The picnic," the alpha replied. "Did you like it? Do you like the lake? How was it?"

"Um…it was pretty fun, I guess," Daichi replied, scratching the back of his head. In the corner of his eye, he saw that Kageyama had already grouped up with the rest of Shiratorizawa's students. "The view was great, I liked the lake."

Kuroo's lips turned up in a smile Daichi hadn't seen before, but he could tell it was a genuine one. However, that smile quickly morphed into a grin. Just then, Daichi realized that they were standing so close to each other that their shoulders were almost touching.

"Kuroo!" Before anyone had a chance to say anything, Bokuto decided to join in and dropped one arm on Kuroo's shoulder. "Wanna fly more? The sky's still clear."

"Why not," Kuroo returned and spread his wings, prompting Bokuto to step away. Seconds later, both alphas were up in the sky.

 _I'll never be able to read him_ _,_  Daichi sighed, shaking his head before he started to make his way back to the dorm.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Three weeks after arriving at the Royal Academy, Daichi found himself sitting in circle of other students in the yard between House Nekoma and House Fukurōdani. In the middle of the circle were Kuroo and Bokuto. The two alphas were shirtless, with wings flattened against their backs, sparring each other in a hand to hand combat. Students from both Houses were cheering for their presidents as Kuroo and Bokuto tried to take each other down as quickly as possible. However, Daichi wasn't cheering for Kuroo because he was too busy trying not to think about how hot Kuroo looked.

 _Damnit,_  Daichi cursed himself, biting his lower lip as he watched Kuroo and Bokuto exchange blow after blow.  _They're good_ _;_ _no, very good._

In the end, Kuroo won. It was a close victory, but a victory nonetheless. The crowd from House Nekoma cheered loudly while those from House Fukurōdani seemed to enjoy teasing their president for the loss rather than actually feeling bad about the outcome.

Bokuto immediately scheduled a rematch before he turned to Akaashi and started moaning about his loss. Daichi caught Akaashi rolling his eyes but still let the shirtless and sweat-covered Bokuto hug him anyway.

 _Well, Bokuto_ _'s_ _kinda hot when he's serious_ _._ _N_ _ot as much as Kuroo though…_  The thought flashed through his mind, and Daichi almost hit himself for it. He bit his lower lip again in an attempt to scold himself before turning in time to see Kuroo, still shirtless, walking toward him.

"Did you enjoy the fight?" was the first thing Kuroo asked. His voice was still rough and his hair was even messier; Daichi didn't understand how he still found Kuroo very hot in this state.

"A bit," Daichi replied, looking everywhere but the alpha in front of him. "Do you two spar every week?"

"No, most of the time it's up to Bokuto if we do," Kuroo shrugged. Then, he quickly changed the subject. "Hey, are you hungry? Let's go to the cafeteria. I'm starving."

"Me too, but please put your shirt on first," Daichi replied, gesturing toward the shirt that Kuroo left on the ground near where he and Bokuto had been sparing.

"Alright, alright," Kuroo murmured, turning back to go fetch his shirt. As he turned, Daichi couldn't help but have a full view of Kuroo's wings and back muscles. His cheeks immediately heated up at the sight.

 _Great…_ _,_  Daichi mentally groaned before he turned away and decided to wait for Kuroo at the corner of the yard. He had no idea why everything Kuroo did affected him so much.

Since the picnic day, Daichi had found himself spending time with Kuroo more and more. It was hard to avoid each other since they shared the treehouse, but suddenly he started seeing Kuroo outside the dorm more often than before, whether when they were changing class or in a cafeteria. Sometimes Kuroo came to sit with him, sometimes the alpha just grinned and continued with whatever he was doing. Also, since his success in dragging Daichi to that picnic, Kuroo had started asking Daichi to go with him on many occasions, from going to the library, to hanging out with Bokuto and Akaashi (which Daichi immediately agreed to because of he liked spending time with Akaashi). If Daichi answered with 'no', Kuroo always found a way to make him agree to go despite his first decision.

Yet, beneath all his teasing and provocation, Kuroo was observant and caring. On the days that Daichi went straight to bed after class because he was stressed and exhausted, Kuroo would sneak dinner out from the cafeteria to the dorm because he knew that Daichi would sleep through dinner. After Daichi had eaten, Kuroo would subtly suggest that they should study together on the subject that Daichi was having problems with. And if the omega asked if Kuroo knew he was having problems with this subject, Kuroo would just shrug and say it was just a coincidence. This had happened around six times before Daichi figured out that Kuroo was trying to help. Daichi was embarrassed and grateful at the same time after he figured it out. Embarrassed because it took him that long to notice, and grateful because he had never thought that Kuroo would care this much about him.

Daichi didn't notice it at first, of course, but after a while he finally realized that he enjoyed Kuroo's company a lot. And the more time he spent with Kuroo, the more his interest grew. Kuroo was surprisingly patient, especially when he was teaching Daichi a subject the omega didn't understand. He knew when to push, where to push, and when to leave someone alone. Daichi was sure that there would be an occasion where Kuroo would cross the line, but that never happened. Despite how stubborn and cocky Kuroo was, the alpha seemed to know Daichi's limit well.

However, despite all his positive thoughts about Kuroo, Daichi couldn't help but felt like the alpha was hiding something. No, not hiding, it was more like he had a side that no one knew, and the one who knew didn't want to face.

 

The cafeteria was as crowded, as always. Daichi grabbed a tray and let Kuroo choose the table. The alpha led him to the one near the window and sat down, stretching both his arms and his wings. Daichi tried his best not to watch.

"So…" Kuroo spoke, setting his arms down, "any plans for tomorrow?"

"No," Daichi replied. Tomorrow was Saturday, so there was no class. Most students would go to the nearest town or just visit the lake. "Do you have anything in mind?"

"I do," Kuroo admitted, his grin widening. "How about we go flying?"

"Kuroo," Daichi frowned, suddenly feeling uneasy, "I can't fly."

"I know." Kuroo replied. Daichi wasn't sure if he imagined it, but Kuroo's voice sounded softer and gentler. He felt as if the ' _I know_ ' from Kuroo had more meaning than just knowing that Daichi couldn't fly.

However, Kuroo's next sentence made Daichi freeze up and completely forget the strange feeling he had about the ' _I know_ ' from earlier. "I'll carry you."

 _Wait…what…?_  "What did you just say?"

"I will carry you," Kuroo repeated. His expression was unchanged, and there was no hint of a prank or joke. "Tomorrow, let's fly. I want to show you around the area from a different angle."

 _Shit_ _,_ _he's serious…_  Daichi gulped, suddenly losing all his appetite.  _Kuroo looks so determine_ _d_ _. Shit, determine_ _d_ _Kuroo is harder to counter than annoying Kuroo. Shit. What should I do? What should I do?_

It's not that Daichi wasn't glad Kuroo was offering him an opportunity, but it also felt like the alpha was prying his wounds open to stab them again and again.

" _A black bird must not fly. A black bird must not reach the sky. You are a black bird, you're not allow off the ground."_

His parents' words came back to him. He remembered them saying this to him again and again on the first day he learnt to restrain his own wings.

Yet, here he was, sitting in front of a person who just offered him a chance to know what it's like to be up there.

 _I should decline_ _,_  Daichi thought, looking anywhere but Kuroo. He felt his stomach sinking down, down, down.  _What's the point in getting to know the sky when_ _I'_ _ll be forever grounded? Even though they might allow me to fly someday, I wouldn't be able. My wings are too weak._

 _But this is the first time someone_ _'s_ _offer_ _ed_ _something like this!_  Another voice interjected.  _You_ _'ve_ _always want_ _ed_ _to fly! Why don't you accept? This might be your only chance!_

_Because it's my only chance, that's why I don't want to accept it!_

Daichi looked up, determined to decline the offer. When he looked into Kuroo's eyes, Daichi saw hope. It was bright and overwhelming, giving him a strange feeling in his stomach.

 _Kuroo hopes that I_ _'ll_ _say yes…_ _,_ a voice in his head spoke. _He really wants me to say yes._

"I'm okay with going out, but I'm not going to fly with you." However, in the end Daichi still declined the offer. He almost said yes, but his experience reminded him that he must not let himself have a chance to hope for something impossible.

To Daichi's surprise, Kuroo averted his eyes and didn't push the subject. The alpha just shrugged and continued on with other things, which Daichi was grateful for. Yet, even after Daichi retired to bed later that night, he still had the strange feeling in his stomach he got the second time he declined Kuroo's offer. It was a feeling of longing mixed with sadness, pure sadness.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

When Daichi woke up on Saturday, Kuroo was nowhere to be found. So, Daichi took his time in the bathroom and slowly walked to the cafeteria.

 _Maybe he_ _'s_ _out there, flying with Bokuto_ _,_  Daichi thought, yawning as he walked into the cafeteria. Most students were not awake yet, so the hall was quite peaceful compared to other days.  _I bet he_ _'s_ _having fun… Ngh, this is not_ _the_ _time to think about that! What Kuroo does in his own time is not my concern nor my business!_

"I'm being an idiot," Daichi grumbled to himself as he grabbed his tray and headed for one of the empty table. As he walked, Daichi found himself thinking about Kuroo's favourite food.  _Kuroo likes fish and sweet curry. His most favourite is grilled salted mackerel pike. He's always excited when the cafeteria has that… Wait, why am I thinking about his favourite dish? And how do I know his favourite food?_

"What the hell…" Daichi sighed, rubbing his eyes.  _Maybe I spen_ _d_ _too much time with him. Damn, I'_ _ve_ _been spending_ _more_ _time with him than_ _with_ _Suga_ _and_ _Asahi th_ _ese_ _past few days._

As he ate, Daichi thought about the classes from the past week to keep his mind off Kuroo. He had to admit that now he was totally comfortable living here. Daichi couldn't say that he would be comfortable living in the North after graduation, but here at the Royal Academy everything was going well. The students were friendly and didn't seem to care about where he was from, nor the professors. Their cultures were not that different, either, so it was easy for him to fit in.

"Senpai?" a familiar voice called from somewhere on his right. Daichi immediately looked up and was surprised to find Kageyama standing there with a food tray in his hands.

"Yes?"

"May I sit with you?" the first year asked, sounding unsure.

"Yes, of course," Daichi nodded and Kageyama set the tray down before pulling the chair out. The first year looked better than at the beginning of the term. There were no bags under his eyes and he seemed to be a lot healthier. Still, Daichi had a feeling that Kageyama being here was not a coincidence.

It took ten minutes before Kageyama started talking.

"Sawamura-senpai"

"Yes?"

"Do you think…," Kageyama sounded hesitant, and Daichi looked up. "Do you think we're being watched?"

 _Watched?_  Daichi blinked. "What make you think that?" he asked, keeping his voice calm.

Kageyama looked around before he continued. "I, um… I've heard some students in my politics classes talking about us – the exchange students." Kageyamma gulped, he looked nervous. "I overheard them saying something like arranging for some of us to share a room with students who have been accepted by the army so the North can keep an eye on us. They claimed that they heard this from the professors."

"Wait a sec," Daichi held his hand up. "Accepted by the army you said?"

"Yes," Kageyama nodded. "Some students here have already been accepted by the Northern army. It seems like even the academy wants to keep this as a secret."

 _Wait…._  "Kageyama," Daichi's voice was stiff when he asked, and it seemed to startle the first year a bit. "Do you have the names of the students?"

"Yes." The first year gave a small and frantic nod. "Bokuto-san from House Fukurōdani; Iwaizumi-san from House Aobajōsai; Sakusa-san from House Itachiyama; Kuroo-san and Kozume-san from House Nekoma; and Ushijima-san."

 _That makes sense…_  Daichi felt as if something had clicked together in his head as he recalled the journey from the South to the North.  _Lev called Kuroo 'Captain' at that border town. Kuroo is in_ _the_ _army. But how? He's still student._ Daichi felt his blood run cold as he thought about their conversations on that day, when Kuroo said that the different uniforms were just for identifying the Houses.  _Just_ _when I_ _was_ _start_ _ing_ _to think that I c_ _ould_ _trust him… shit_ _,_ _he's already in the army. He's a soldier._

 _Maybe you're thinking about this too much_ _,_  a small voice in his head said, trying to sound optimistic.  _Maybe he just got accepted, maybe…_

"Kageyama, do you know how long they've been accepted to the army?"

"Since last semester," Kageyama replied. Daichi could hear hollowness in the first year's voice. He knew well what Kageyama was thinking.

_Just when we_ _'ve_ _gotten comfortable with the life here, thinking that this is_ _n't_ _so different from the South, something happens to remind us that we're nothing but hostages._

Neither one said anything after that. Daichi finished his meal quickly and waited for Kageyama to finish his. They then went to put the trays away before exiting the cafeteria.

 

Daichi went back to the treehouse he shared with Kuroo before collapsing on his bed. Kuroo wasn't back yet, which was good. Daichi had so many things to think about.

_Kuroo has been accepted by the army. 'Captain Kuroo_ _,_ _' Lev_ _had_ _called him._

_Shit._

Daichi sat up, shaking his head. He stood up and started walking around the room, trying to calm himself down.

 _Maybe it's just a coincidence. Maybe those students were just making something up_ _,_  he tried to be positive.

 _Or maybe I was too blind to see. Look, Kuroo and others might be friendly, but that doesn't change the truth that I'm from the South. We're still enemies_ _,_ another voice shot back. _Maybe I_ _'ve_ _been fooled by them. Maybe I_ _'m an_ _idiot who thought that the North wasn't going to keep a close eye on us._

_Shit, and_ _just_ _when I think I'm comfortable living here…._

Daichi dropped back onto the bed, closing his eyes. He groaned and turned to his side, biting down on his lower lip.

_Was all…was all of_ _it_ _just a lie? D_ _id_ _Kuroo befriend_ _m_ _e because it_ _was_ _an order?_

Somehow, this thought hurt him more than he thought was possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More angst is coming soon ^^


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

"Sawamura-kun."

"What?"

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

Daichi repeated his answer and turned away from the alpha. Normally he wouldn't sit with his back to anyone like this, but this time he forced himself to do it even though he hated it – it made him feel vulnerable. He couldn't sit with his front to Kuroo because he wouldn't be able to focus. His eyes would keep drifting to the alpha, and Kuroo would catch him looking, and things would be even more awkward between them.

 _Please, just drop the subject,_  Daichi thought, trying his best to focus on the book in his hand.  _Just drop the subject._

"I don't believe you." He had underestimated Kuroo's stubbornness yet again. Kuroo's voice also had a less playful edge than normal. "You never sit with your back to others unless you can't avoid it. What happened?"

 _Shit, he even picked_ _up on_ _that. He's more observant than I thought_ _,_  Daichi mentally groaned. Panic slowly built in his gut as he turned to glare at the alpha.

Kuroo was sitting on his desk, like always, with his wings stretched as wide as they could go. His eyes were half-lit, but there was something in his stare that made Daichi unable to turn away.

"What is it?" Kuroo asked, shutting his book now that he had Daichi's full attention. "Has someone been bothering you? Do I need to talk to someone? Give me a name." The alpha's voice told Daichi that he wasn't joking. This was the first time Daichi had seen Kuroo like this.

 _Shit, what should I do?_  Daichi had to admit that he was quite scared. He was sure that if he gave Kuroo a name, the other would immediately go have a talk with that person.

"It's personal." Daichi decided to try his luck, and acted like he wasn't startled by Kuroo at all. "You don't have to worry about it."

"I don't have to worry?" Kuroo's voice dropped an octave as he slid down from the desk, his wings folded halfway back. "You have been avoiding me for a week. I know something's up, don't lie to me."

 _I'm fucked,_  Daichi thought as he looked up at Kuroo. The alpha was in the middle of the room now, and it would only take him three strides to get to Daichi.

It was true that Daichi had been avoiding Kuroo after his conversation with Kageyama. The knowledge that Kuroo was in the army had put him on edge, so Daichi had resorted to what he did best when he was afraid or had no idea what to do: he ran. Daichi had buried himself in homework and stayed outside on the yard or in the library until it was bedtime every day.

"Sawamura-kun," Kuroo tried again, this time his voice softer and gentler, "if you have something on your mind, you can tell me. Has anyone said anything to you? That's why you're avoiding me, right?"

 _I'm really, really, fucked,_  Daichi gritted his teeth.  _What should I do? Ask him_ _if_ _he_ _'s_ _been_ _assigned to keep an eye on me? Hell no. He'll act like he's surprised and then say I've been imaging things._

So, Daichi decided to do what he had been doing all week. The omega grabbed his book and stood up from his desk, heading to the door.

"You're being ridiculous. I'm going to the library."

"Wait!"

Before Daichi reached the door, Kuroo's hand landed on his back in an attempt to stop him.

Only it didn't land on his back, it landed directly on his right wing.

"Don't touch me!"

Out of pure reflex, Daichi turned and slapped Kuroo's hand away. His heart was beating quickly and his flight instinct kicked in. Daichi threw the door open and kicked it close in Kuroo's face.

 _Shit! Shit! Shit! I shouldn't have decided to study at the dorm. What ha_ _ve_ _I done?! Now he's going to be even more suspicious!_  Daichi thought as he ran along the branch and reached the stairs without an accident. After that, he sprinted down the stairs and headed toward the library. He still had several hours before it closed.

 

As Daichi walked toward the library, he tried to calm himself down and think about what had just happened. Now that his head was clearer, Daichi was sure that there was no way Kuroo wouldn't be suspicious.

Daichi chose the table at the furthest ended of the library before sitting down. There was very few students here at this hour of the night, which was perfect. The omega sighed, leaning against the chair and closed his eyes, his hands shaking.

 _Breathe_ _,_  he told himself, forcing his body to relax. After that, he opened a book and tried his best to focus on it.

Despite how much Daichi wanted to focus, his mind kept going back to what had just happened. Specifically, his mind went back to where his habit of not sitting with his back to anyone came from.

When Daichi was still a little kid, everyone in his family - except for his grandmother – made it clear that they didn't accept him. Daichi was always on high alert when he was anywhere in the house except for the bedroom he shared with his grandmother. He learnt not to turn his back towards anyone because his relatives had a habit of hitting him since he was a bad omen. Daichi learnt to see them first and duck away as soon as they got close.

Moreover, Daichi was always filled with fear that someone might see bulges on his back where his wings were restrained, so he tried to give everyone as little view of his back as possible, even though his wings were small and thin that no one would see a bulge unless Daichi's back was bent. Still, the fear of getting caught always made Daichi choose shirts with thick fabric or wear at least two layers when he was in public.

 _Breathe!_  Daichi mentally shouted, pushing all those images away.  _Breathe! Stay in the present_ _,_ _Daichi! Stay in the present!_

 

_Breathe! Breathe!_

 

It took a while before Daichi finally calmed down and his hands finally stopped shaking. However, he still couldn't focus on the words in front of him.

"What am I going to do?" Daichi groaned, dropping the book and covering his face with his hands instead. He stayed like that for a while, trying to get himself to concentrate on the book and not what just happened.

When Daichi deemed himself calm enough and lowered his hands, it turned out that he was no longer alone.

"Talk to me?" came a voice Daichi knew all too well.

He looked up and was met with a pair of hazel eyes. Kuroo was sitting in front of him. Daichi didn't know why he wasn't surprised, or at least not as surprised as he thought he would be.

"Sawamura, please," Kuroo continued without letting him say anything first. The alpha's wings were half stretched and his shoulders were tense, telling Daichi that Kuroo wasn't afraid to use force if Daichi decided to run again. "Talk to me, or at least hear me out, okay?"

It took a few seconds before Daichi nodded; he didn't trust himself to speak yet. Kuroo sighed, lowering his wings and folding them back.

"I was accepted by the army last semester."

 _What?_  Daichi blinked, shocked that Kuroo suddenly stated something like that out loud. When his eyes met Kuroo's, the alpha gave him a soft smile as if he knew what Daichi was thinking.

"Yeah, I was accepted by the army last semester. In the North, sometimes if you're talented enough you'll be accepted earlier than others," Kuroo continued, leaning back against the chair. His eyes glittered softly under the candlelight. "Honestly, it should be a secret. No one but the professors were supposed to know. I'm guessing this is why you've been avoiding me, right?"

 _How did he know?! And how… how should I reply to that?!_  Daichi kept quiet and looked at Kuroo's eyes. In a split second, he swore that there was a wild look on Kuroo's face. It was as if the alpha was challenging him to try and run away again. That look alone caused Daichi to avert his eyes.

 _Stop running,_  he told himself. _There's nowhere to run_ _to_ _._

"How did you know?" Daichi forced himself to look at the alpha and ask. He frowned at how timid his voice sounded.

"You're not the only one avoiding your roommate," Kuroo replied, a half-grin on his face and the playfulness back in his voice. Strangely, Daichi had the feeling that Kuroo was being playful only to reassure him that the alpha wasn't mad at him knowing something he shouldn't.

"I'm guessing either you or Kageyama-kun were the one who heard about it, right?" Kuroo continued, his eyes never leaving Daichi. "Yesterday Ushiwaka asked me if you had been avoiding him liked his roommate's been. So, I listed what Ushiwaka and I have in common before coming to the conclusion that you two must have heard something and imagined something up."

 _He's totally right._  Daichi tore his eyes away from the knowing look on Kuroo's face and closed them as he replied. "You're right. We thought that we'd been purposefully roomed with students accepted into the army so you could watch us." Then he waited for what Kuroo had to say. Half of him was hoping that Kuroo would say that he was being ridiculous for imaging things, and the other half was dreading that Kuroo would confirm his suspicions.

Kuroo didn't reply to him immediately. The alpha seemed to be waiting for something, and when Daichi turned to look at Kuroo, the alpha smiled at him.

"I don't blame you for having that idea. I would have that kind of theory in my head too if I were you. But we're not assigned to watch any of you, I swear," Kuroo said. There was a strange look in his eyes that Daichi didn't recognize, but it helped him stay calm. It was like Kuroo was trying to tell him that everything was going to be okay.

"Then what is it?" Daichi asked, hating how weak and scared he sounded. "Why…. why did you befriend me? What do you want?"

In that moment, Daichi thought he saw pain and sadness in Kuroo's eyes, but when he looked again they were gone.

"Sawamura," Kuroo said, his voice was steady, firm and genuine, "I only want to make you happy."

 _Make me happy?_  Daichi blinked, confused. "Why?" he asked. "Why? I'm a hostage. You're a soldier."

"Because I don't care about that shitty political status. I don't care what those shitheads in the council call you." Kuroo leaned forward a bit, putting both hands on the table. His eyes had never left Daichi's face. "To me, you are a kind, caring, and hardworking healer student. I want you to be happy. I know how hard it is to leave home and go somewhere you don't know. I want you to feel comfortable here. I just… I just want you to be happy."

Daichi didn't know what to do. He felt like he was being swiped off his feet to dance with the wind and then dropped back down on earth. His stomach was flipping up and down and he couldn't tell if it was bad or good. But he didn't feel like he was sinking, not at all. Actually, Daichi felt warmness spread thorough his body, and his gut-feeling was telling him that Kuroo was telling the truth.

"Then, why do you… why do you always stick around me?" Daichi continued, trying to find and argument. "I'm sure that spending time with others would be more enjoyable than me."

Kuroo's eyes widened at his words, and after Daichi finished, the alpha just leaned back and smiled. "Because I like you," he replied, eyes never leaving Daichi's.

"Like me?" Daichi blinked, still confused. "You… like me?" His cheeks had unreasonably (at least in Daichi's point of view) heated up.

"Yes, I like you a lot. I love spending time with you," Kuroo nodded, suddenly leaning forward.

Something strange spread from the middle of his chest to the other part of his body. Daichi didn't understand what this feeling was, but it made him feel good. "Really? But I… I'm just a healer student, not a combat specialist or someone with special abilities…" Daichi stuttered, confused and unable to form a sentence. He had no idea why he was blushing so strongly, either.

"Sawamura-kun, you're not just who you think you are. You're more than that." As if to make the situation worse, Kuroo's voice was so honest that Daichi wanted to scream in frustration of not knowing what was happening to him. And at the same time, the alpha's voice was so soft that Daichi wanted to cry because no one except his grandmother had ever talked to him with this kind of voice before. It was so soft, so warm; it showed that the other really cared about him.

"Stop," he grunted, shaking his head. "I have no idea what made you believe that."

"I don't believe, Sawamura-kun. I just know." Kuroo's answer was short yet held so many feelings within it, but Daichi couldn't decipher any of them right now. He felt like his face was about to burn to ashes if Kuroo kept talking.

 _Goodness! Why am I like this?_  He mentally screamed, trying to find the reason behind his embarrassment and the happiness that bubbled in his mind.

It took Daichi a minute to look away from Kuroo so he could compose himself and be able to form a proper sentence. During that time the alpha's eyes never left him.

"Well… um…" Daichi finally straightened his back up and turned back to look at Kuroo. "Thanks, Kuroo. I've never thought that anyone would really like spending time with me before, besides Suga and Asahi. You're… a very good friend. And I'm sorry for being such an idiot these past couple days. I'm really sorry."

Like always, Daichi couldn't decipher what was going on behind Kuroo's eyes. However, this time he was sure that Kuroo seemed to be slightly disappointed the moment he said the word 'friend'.

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize," Kuroo spoke up, pulling Daichi away from his train of thoughts. Now he looked like the Kuroo Daichi knew, wild grin and cockiness in his eyes. "So… are you free this Saturday?" the alpha changed the subject and went on like nothing had happened at all.

 _My Goodness, Kuroo is a bloody walking enigma,_  Daichi told himself but he smiled anyway, knowing that they were both good now.

"I'm free, what's your plan?" he answered, and Kuroo's eyes lit up.

"Will you go to the town with me this weekend?" the alpha asked, shuffling his wings into a more folded position. Daichi's head was still spinning from all that just happened, so he wasn't sure if he was imagining seeing Kuroo's eyes glittering with anticipation or not.

"Well, if you want me too," Daichi shrugged. He wasn't against going to the town since it was a destination for many students on the weekends. Many students would be going there both on wings and on horses.

"Excellent," Kuroo nodded, his smile widening. "Oh, and will you mind if we stay there for one night? There's a firework contest on Saturday night, around 8 o'clock, but it's going to be too late to get back to the academy."

 _Stay the night there?_  "Where will be staying then?" Daichi asked. He had to know where they're staying first. If that place only had a communal shower, he wouldn't be going.

"My cousin has a house there, a big one with three guest bedrooms," Kuroo replied, and his eyes were sparkling. "So…?" The alpha trailed off, eyes fixed on Daichi. The anticipation was clear and Daichi felt like he couldn't deny Kuroo anything when the alpha was subtly pleading with him like this.

 _Well,_ _there's_ _not a communal shower and this contest sounds interesting._  "I've nothing against it," Daichi shrugged, pretending like it was no big deal. The smile Kuroo gave back to him made Daichi's heart skip a beat and his cheeks slightly flush red (again).

They talked a bit more about the festival. Kuroo told him that this festival was held every year and promised that Daichi was going to like it, to which the omega responded that they would have to wait and see.

 

"It's getting late, let's get back shall we? I know you like to study at your desk more than here," Kuroo suggested after they finished talking about the festival, stretched his wings before pushing himself up from the chair. Daichi followed suit, grabbing his book. Then, he realized that he had forgotten something he wanted to ask Kuroo.

"Kuroo," Daichi called as they walked side by side toward the exit, "did Ushijima tell you about Kageyama? Has he… talked to Kageyama about this?"

"He said he would," Kuroo replied before stopping dead in his track. His mouth suddenly curved into a grin. "Oya, oya, oya, speak of the devil."

Just outside the half-glass-half-wooden door of the library stood Kageyama and Ushijima. Daichi didn't hear what they were talking about, but he noticed from their postures and expressions that Ushijima seemed to be explaining something while Kageyama had a surprised look on his face.

"We should use another exit," Kuroo suggested, turning away from the door. "It seems like they're doing fine."

"Agreed," Daichi nodded and followed the alpha toward another exit.

They reached the dorm several minutes after that. Daichi noted that Kuroo didn't just fly up to the treehouse liked usual; the alpha had walked up the stairs with him.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It turned out that not just Kuroo was interested in the fireworks contest. There were lots of students who were also going.

"It's a fireworks festival with the fireworks contest as its highlight," Kuroo explained to him when Daichi mentioned seeing many students up so early while they ate their breakfast at the cafeteria. "The festival will officially start in two hours, we should hurry up," The alpha added as he shoved a slice of pear into his mouth and grabbed his glass.

 

After a quick breakfast, both of them hurried to the front gate near the horse stable. One thing Daichi liked about this academy was that they provided free horses for students to borrow during the weekend. Kuroo was already spreading his wings and flapping them to warm the muscles up. His large wings caught the sunlight so perfectly and were radiating gold just like on the picnic.

"You know," Kuroo suddenly turned to him right before they reached the stables, "the flying offer still stands." The alpha continued with a genuine voice, his eyes never leaving Daichi's face.

 

_Wait_  
_,_  
_what… the offer…that offer?_

 

"Um…" Daichi hesitated. Kuroo was suddenly too close to him, and he didn't know what to do. Some part of him was still surprised, the other part was confused - scared, and one little part was screaming in joy. "The… one where you asked if I wanted to fly with you?"

"Yup," Kuroo nodded. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall. I promise," the alpha continued with his voice so soft and genuine that made Daichi (metaphorically) melt.

One part of his brain, which was still able to function, screamed that there might be some hidden meaning behind those words. However, Daichi had no will nor ability to think about it right now. All that was running through his mind right then was 'what should I do?!'

"Kuroo! And Sawamura too? Hey, hey, hey! You both going to the festival?! That's great!"

Before Daichi could say anything or even think, a distraction in the form of Bokuto and Akaashi appeared. The alpha was flapping his wings excitedly while Akaashi's wings were just half stretched.

"Yup," Kuroo replied. His grin widened and Daichi had a feeling that Kuroo had something on his mind. "We're about to leave."

"Excellent!" Bokuto jumped, his wings spread wide. "Let's race each other to the festival, then!"

"Nope, I'll have to pass." To everyone's surprise, Kuroo shook his head, and his words stopped Bokuto before the other alpha shot up to the sky. "I don't want Sawamura-kun to go on horse alone."

 _Wait, what?_  Daichi blinked, turning to stare at Kuroo.  _Did he…?_

"What?" Bokuto immediately looked between Daichi and Kuroo. "You're not carrying him? That's mean, Kuroo. I've seen you carry Yaku there before."

"Well, Yaku let me carry him, Sawamura didn't." Kuroo shrugged nonchalantly, almost exaggeratedly, and Daichi had a feeling that the alpha definitely had a plan in mind.

"Why?" Before Daichi could have time to think about what he saw, Bokuto was standing in front of him. "This is a great chance to torture him! Really Sawamura? Other students from Nekoma wouldn't miss this chance!" Bokuto whined out loud. "And it will reduce the travel time! I want to be the first one who beats the…" and the president of House Fukurōdani continued on with how much he wanted both him and Kuroo to get to the festival early, so they would have more times to play every game there.

 _He's planning to use Bokuto against me_ _,_ _and somehow it's working because now I_ _'m_ _start_ _ing_ _to feel like I've done something wrong._  Daichi gulped, sending a glare toward Kuroo, who gave him a smirk before the alpha turned to chat with Akaashi.  _Yup, he totally planned this!_

In the end, Daichi gave in. Honestly, he had no idea that Bokuto's unlimited chattering and complaining would be this effective. Judging from the look on Akaashi's face, it seemed like the beta had been suffering from something like this for quite some time.

"Yahoo! Let's go to the festival, hey, hey, hey!"

And after making Daichi change his mind, Bokuto was back to his overyjoyed and talkative self as he prepared for take-off. Akaashi stood some meters back, wings spread, waiting for a signal from Bokuto.

That left him with Kuroo. Daichi took a deep breath and turned toward the alpha, who was wearing his trademark shit-eating-grin.

"That was your plan, wasn't it?" Daichi crossed his arms in front of his chest, frowning at Kuroo.

"Maybe," Kuroo just shrugged before he abruptly turned his back to Daichi and unfurled his wings. This took Daichi off guard because he hadn't seen Kuroo's wings this close before. Just the way the feathers wavered as the wings moved sent shivers down his spine, along with a slight melancholy and longing.

"Put your arms around my neck." Kuroo turned his head to look at him. His piecing hazel eyes glittered under the sunlight. "I won't let you fall, I promise."

"Okay." Daichi slight, slowly approached Kuroo. He set his hands on the alpha's shoulders, gulping at the hard muscles beneath his palm. There were various types of shirts for winged people. There were shirts that had two big holes on the upper back to let their wings out, and shirts that didn't have the fabric covering the upper back at all. Today Kuroo just  _had_  to wear the one that didn't have the fabric covering his upper back, so Daichi had a full view of the muscles under Kuroo's wings.

And then Kuroo's hands were covering his.

Daichi was startled but he didn't pull away, although his cheeks were flushed red. He let Kuroo pull and arrang his arms into the position that the alpha wanted. It didn't take long for Daichi to be pulled flat against Kuroo's back. The alpha's wings framed both side of his torso, and Daichi couldn't help but wonder what the feathers would feel like through his fingers.

 _Stop it!_  He yelled at himself, pushing away the image of his hands touching Kuroo's wings.

"This is more like it," Kuroo said after he was satisfied with how Daichi's arms wrapped around his shoulders, and Daichi almost jumped in surprise. "Hold on tight," Kuroo said as he stretched his wings to their fullest.

Kuroo lowered his legs, and Daichi could feel the muscles under him shift. Then, the alpha jumped up as his wings beat down. The air was knocked out of Daichi's lungs as they shot up to the sky. He held on for dear life and closed his eyes as a strange feeling overwhelmed him, as if his internal organs were pushed down to his legs. Wind pushed against his face as Daichi felt Kuroo and himself go up and up.

Then, Kuroo abruptly changed the angle. Daichi yelped as he no longer felt like he was hanging onto Kuroo, but rather laying with his stomach against the alpha's back. Now his arms no longer took his weight, but the solid muscle under him.

Daichi opened his eyes, gaping when he saw that they were up in the sky. Kuroo was flying with his body in a horizontal line, with his back taking all of Daichi's weight. The omega looked at both side of them and gaped at what he saw. Two long golden-brown wings stretched out from beside him, and they looked even longer than he remembered.

Below them, green stretched out toward the mountains ahead. But it wasn't just green that Daichi saw. He was able to see the brown line of the road cutting through the sea of trees and also the larger blue lines of the rivers. There were also spots of other colors among the green below. Pink, red, purple, orange, and yellow, colors of the flowers and patches of brown from the dead trees.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Bokuto called from their right. Daichi turned and saw the president of House Fukurōdani. His wings beat steadily against the air. Behind Bokuto was Akaashi, who offered both of them a polite smile.

"The wind is great today!" Bokuto shouted happily. "Less turbulence than yesterday, perfect for a long flight!"

"Less turbulence means we don't have to beat our wings as much," Kuroo said to Daichi as if he knew that Daichi would be confused by what Bokuto said.

"Oh," Daichi nodded, resting his head on Kuroo's shoulder as he looked at the sky above. They weren't high enough to reach the clouds, but high enough for Daichi to see more than what he saw when he was on the ground.

Something rumbled deep inside his mind. Daichi blinked and was shocked to realize that there were tears in his eyes.

 _What is this?_  He thought, blinking the tears away because he didn't want to risk taking his hands off Kuroo's shoulders.  _Why… why am I crying?_

His instincts hummed, and then Daichi understood as happiness burst through his mind.

This was where he meant to be, up in the sky. To have the wind brushing past his body and feel the freedom of being in the air.

 _This is where I_ _should_ _be_ _,_ Daichi thought, taking a deep breath as he felt the wind. But when his wings pushed against their restraints, eager to touch the wind like the rest of his body was, Daichi froze in place.

"What's wrong?" Kuroo immediately asked, his hand shooting up to grab one of Daichi's arms as if he was afraid that Daichi was going to let go. "Sawamura?"

"I'm fine," Daichi replied, keeping his voice calm. "I just… this is amazing, really, I… I don't know what to say. Thank you Kuroo," he went on, trying to distract himself, distracted his wings from pushing against the straps.

Kuroo didn't reply immediately, but his calloused hand started to massage Daichi's hand in the way that made the omega relax slightly. Daichi wondered what expression was on Kuroo's face, but all he could see was Kuroo's hair.

"I'm glad you like it," Kuroo replied to him after a while, his voice steady and warm.

Daichi was about to thank Kuroo again, but then Bokuto appeared in front of them on the left. "Hey, hey, hey!" the alpha shouted. "We're nearly there! Wanna race me?"

"I'll pass," Kuroo shook his head before turning to the beta that was flying behind Bokuto, "Akaashi?"

Akaashi glared at both Kuroo and Bokuto before mumbling 'fine' with a tired expression on his face. That was enough to send Bokuto flying up ahead.

"Yahoo! Let's go Akaashi!"

"Yes, yes, Bokuto-san."

Kuroo chuckled as both owls raced each other toward the town below. "Those two never change."

"They're cute together," Daichi said, "but I kind of feeling sorry for Akaashi sometimes," he added, making Kuroo laugh out loud.

 

 

The landing wasn't so smooth, but at least both of them ended up on their feet. Daichi took a deep breath as he untangled his arms from Kuroo. It took him several seconds to gain his footing and Daichi spent those seconds watching Kuroo fold his wings back.

"Let's go," Kuroo said, jerking his head toward the entrance to the small town. "I bet Bokuto's dragged Akaashi to some game booths already."

"Okay," Daichi nodded, and both of them walked into the town.

Despite being a small town, the firework festival did draw many people to it. Daichi estimated that one third of the people joining the festival were the students from the academy.

"Wow, this place is really crowded," Daichi noted as they walked through the decorated streets. Game booths were everywhere, along with food and souvenir booths.

"Yup," Kuroo said, looking around him as he led Daichi further and further down the street. The omega spotted several students on their way toward the town square which was the centre of the celebration. Daichi spotted Tsukishima walking along with Yamaguchi and Oikawa dragging Iwaizumi around. He also saw Tanaka, Lev, Yaku, and Yamamoto trying to beat each other at a game booth, with Hinata cheering all four of them on and Kozume with the most bored expression he could muster.

"Kenma probably got dragged here by Hinata," Kuroo noted as both of them stopped to watch the mini-battle between Tanaka, Yamamoto, Lev, and Yaku.

"I had no idea that Yaku liked to play this type of game," Daichi said, watching Yaku try to beat Lev.

"He's probably here because Lev riled him up," Kuroo laughed. "And Lev's probably the one carrying him here. Normally Yaku doesn't go out on the weekend."

"Bokuto said that you had carried him before?" Daichi asked, remembering what Bokuto had said that morning.

"Ah, that was when we were still first-years," Kuroo shrugged. "Everything was new to us, so we went out a lot on the weekend."

"I see," Daichi nodded, smiling as he saw Tanaka jump up and down with joy at winning the round. Yamamoto was fuming while Yaku turned to kick Lev's ass because the first year had scored more than he had.

Watching the first year made Daichi realize that there was something he had meant to ask Kuroo for a while, but really hadn't had the chance to do so.

"Kuroo," he called, and the alpha turned to look at him. "Do you know how the academy chose the House for each first years? Akaashi said that the other years were random, but he didn't say anything about the first years."

"Probably from their entrance exam scores and their personalities from the interview. I heard the professors talking about receiving all the info on each exchange student from the South a week before you arrived," Kuroo replied, stretching as he looked around. "Let's find Bokuto before he talks Akaashi's ears off."

Something clicked inside Daichi head, but he had no idea what it was. Daichi brushed off the strange feeling and followed Kuroo as the alpha headed towards the town square.

 

After that, they spent a good fifteen minutes looking for the president of House Fukurōdani. In the end they saw Bokuto and Akaashi standing in front of a waffle stall. The alpha was chattering while Akaashi was clearly talking to the person selling the waffle not Bokuto.

"Waffles!" Kuroo grinned, walking ahead. Daichi was following close behind before he froze in his tracks, realizing what had clicked in his head earlier.

' _I heard the professors talking about receiving all the info on each exchange student from the South a week before you arrived.'_

' _All the i_ _nfo o_ _n_ _each exchange student'_

 

_Does this mean they know I_  
_have_  
_black_  
_wings_  
_?_

 

Daichi felt his stomach turn in a very bad way.

 

_Does the North know what I am?_

 

 _No, I don't think they know_ _,_ one voice spoke up _. If they kn_ _e_ _w, they wouldn't have let you enter their kingdom. Black_ _wings_ _are_ _a bad omen_ _in_ _every land. There_ _'s_ _no way they would let the South sent them a black bird._

 _Yeah, you don't have anything to worry_ _about_ _. There is no way the South w_ _ould_ _tell the North about you_ _,_  another voice said, supporting the first one, and Daichi let relief wash over him.

"Sawamura!"

Kuroo's voice jolted Daichi from his thoughts. The omega looked up and saw that Kuroo had two paper plates with waffles on top of them.

"Come on," the alpha called again, gesturing toward a bench nearby, "let's eat before they get cold."

"Okay," he answered and walked toward the alpha. "How much do I owe you?" Daichi asked as they sat down. His family didn't give him money or anything, but the North was generous enough to give each student a small amount to spend during their stay.

"You don't owe me anything, it's my treat," Kuroo replied, smiling as he leaned back. His wings were stretched out halfway, feathers dancing slowly as a gentle breeze caressed them. Daichi didn't know how to feel about this, especially when his cheeks felt too warm again, so he just thanked Kuroo and turned his attention to the waffle. On the bench besides them were Bokuto and Akaashi. Of course, Bokuto had never shut up, but somehow Daichi got used to the distinctive chattering voice of the owl-liked alpha and found it actually quite soothing.

 

After they finished the waffles, Kuroo took Daichi around the festival. Overall, Daichi had a good time. He played some games with Kuroo at the game booth. He won some, but Kuroo won most of them. However, Daichi found watching Kuroo and Bokuto competing each other was the most enjoyable. Both alphas trash-talked each other a bit before they both got really into it.

However, despite how good the morning was, not every day was going to be perfect.

"I'll get us something to drink. I think those two are going to be quite thirsty after all their yelling," Akaashi said to him on their tenth visit to a game booth. Daichi nodded, and then the beta quickly walked toward a beverage booth several meters away. At first Daichi offered to go with Akaashi, but the other said that Daichi should stay and make sure that Kuroo and Bokuto weren't going to cause trouble. Judging from how tired Akaashi sounded, Daichi thought that he had an idea of how tiring Akaashi's day would have been if he and Kuroo didn't show up.

"Oh, hello there."

Someone spoke up from behind him as Daichi was watching Kuroo and Bokuto try to beat each other in a dart throwing game. He turned in surprise and found two people standing behind him. They looked quite familiar, but Daichi couldn't think of their names.

"Hi…?" Daichi decided to greet them back. "Um… do I know you?"

"You don't remember me? Oh, that's harsh," one of the strangers said with an exaggerated hurt voice. Daichi noted that his face was snake-liked and his scent indicated that he was a beta - or an omega who wasn't mated or in heat.

"My name is Suguru Daishō," the beta continued, pointing at his friend standing behind him, "and this is Kōji, Kōji Hiroo."

 _Suguru Daishō? President of House Nohebi?_  Daichi blinked, taking in the snake-like face of the male in front of him. And then he turned to look at Kōji Hiroo.  _This one is an alpha_ , Daichi thought as he took in Hiroo's scent.

"I'm Daichi Sawamura," Daichi introduced himself out of habit despite the fact that Daishō and Hiroo probably knew his name already. "Nice to meet you."

Daishō smirked before replying to him, his hand harshly grabbing Daichi's forearm. "Nice to meet you too, scum."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing an angst scene this long, I hope that it turns out okay. Also, thank you very much for your supports! And if you guys have any suggestion, I'm all ears ^^


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 _Scum? He called me 'scum'?_  Daichi frowned. He wasn't sure if he had heard it right, but it seemed like the president of House Nohebi had just insulted him.

"Excuse me?" Daichi said, trying to take a step back, but Daishō wouldn't let go of his arm. "Did you just call me scum?"

"Yes!" Daishō nodded, thin lips pulled up into a smirk. "What? Why are you surprised? You should be grateful that you're free to go anywhere without a leash."

 _Prejudiced_ _, but what can I say? I_ _am_ _a hostage here._  Daichi raised his eyebrows.  _Now I can image_ _what_ _the life of the exchange students sent to House Nohebi_ _is_ _like._ He couldn't help but feel sorry for the exchange students that had to deal with Daishō every day. On the corner of his eye, he saw that Kuroo and Bokuto were still at that game booth several meters away.

It seemed like Daishō took his silence as a sign that Daichi wasn't going to fight back, so he continued. "Have nothing to say? Oh, come on, I'm surprised. I thought that Southerner scum would have more guts than this."

 _Okay, he_ _'s_ _start_ _ing_ _to piss me off_ _,_  Daichi thought as he struggled to keep his calm expression and answer Daishō politely. "Sorry to disappoint you, then. Actually, you surprised me too. I didn't think the president of House Nohebi could be this childish." He ended his sentence and abruptly jerked his arm away, succeeded in pulling it free from Daishō's grip.

That seemed to get Daishō back because the beta was stunned for a few seconds. Daichi mentally smirked.

"You…" Daishō started, taking a step forward, but then someone decided to interject.

"Oh, dear!"

All three of them turned to the side and saw Tendō standing there with three candy apples in his hand. The beta from House Shiratorizawa was grinning wildly.

"Tendō," Daishō raised his eyebrows, "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Why are you surprised to see me here?" Tendō took step forward, and now standing beside Daichi. "Think carefully before you answer…" he trailed off with a smirk.

"Normally you're the one who makes the party lame." It seemed like Daishō didn't hear the warning in Tendō's words or he just didn't care. "So, why are you here?"

"That's harsh," Tendō pouted, but Daichi could see that the pout didn't reach his eyes. Actually, if Tendō wasn't pretending to pout, it would be quite obvious that he was glaring at Daishō. "I'm here to look after my dear first years, of course! You know, kids these days are very good at causing troubles when you're not looking."

_First years? Does that mean…_

"Tendō-san!"

Before anyone could continue, there was a voice calling from Daichi's left. He turned and saw Goshiki and Kageyama walking toward them. Both first years had several paper bags in their arms and huge smiles on their faces.

"Oh, so you guys won again?" Tendō asked, a smile immediately replacing the pout along with his eyes softening.

"Yeah!" Goshiki replied, smiling as he and Kageyama slowed down to a stop. "Kageyama is very good at dart-throwing. He won the first prize twice!"

"Goshiki is very good at can knock-down, too," Kageyama immediately added, "he won the first prize three times."

"That explains all those bags," Tendō chuckled, pulling one from Kageyama's arm to look at what was inside. "Oh, a wooden horse? This is so cool."

"Oh, another scum off their leash?" and yet, Daishō just had to speak up and make everything turned from unicorns and rainbows to dark clouds and hailstones. Kageyama's smile faltered as he took a step back, but at the same time Goshiki, Daichi, and Tendō immediately took a step forward.

"Oya, oya, oya, what do we have here?"

However, the one who replied the president of House Nohebi wasn't Tendō, it was Bokuto, Akaashi, and Kuroo. Daichi let small smile appeared on his face as Kuroo stepped up and pressed himself to Daichi's side.

"Hey, hey, hey, this is interesting," Bokuto said, crossing his hands in front of his chest as he took a step forward, half shielding the third year and Akaashi from Daishō and Hiroo. "Daishō! You're picking a fight with an exchange student again? Man, are you a three years old? This isn't what a president supposed to do!"

Daishō's face reddened. Daichi had a feeling that it must hurt the beta's pride more when that comment came from Bokuto.

"I have to agree to that," Kuroo joined in, and Daichi found it reassuring when the black-haired alpha draped one arm over his shoulders, their torsos pressed against each other as Kuroo leaned toward him but didn't put his weight on Daichi. His broad wings spread out a bit more. There was a grin on his face, but it didn't reach his eyes. "My, my, I know you're salty because you lost half your family to the war, but you're taking it out on a wrong person," the alpha continued nonchalantly, but what he said and how he said it made Daishō's face redden with anger.

"Kuroo, that's low," Daishō growled, his wings spreading. Daichi had a feeling that the beta was very angry now. However, before Daishō could continue, another alpha joined in.

"Daishō."

It was Ushijima. The alpha appeared out of nowhere with his usual stern look on his face.

"Ah, Ushiwaka-kun," Daishō raised his eyebrows, trying to be polite despite the emotional state he was in. "You're here too? Oh, what a surprise."

"Daishō," Ushijima didn't seem to care about how unfriendly and sarcastic the other president was, "What Kuroo said is true."

"What…?" Daishō's face reddened from anger and irritation even more. But before the beta had a chance to speak more, Ushijima continued.

"Taking your anger out on them will not bring your family back, even a five years old knows that. It'll only make you look stupid, childish, and desperate." The alpha talked with his usual smooth but stern voice.

 _If Kuroo l_ _it_ _the fire, Ushijima pour_ _ed_ _gallons of_ _gasoline_ _on it,_  Daichi thought. Now he started to feel sorry for Daishō, who had clearly been humiliated by the two presidents.

As if the situation wasn't bad enough for Daishō already, Tendō decided to join in with the final blow. "Oi, don't take it personally Daishō-chan. Wakatoshi-chan only said what was on his mind. You should be happy that everyone here is being honest while you're the one pretending to be an angel before stabbing everybody in the back."

 _Daishō_ _has been_ _roasted, absolutely roasted_ , Daichi thought. Now he felt a bit sorry for the president of House Nohebi as the beta growled before he and Hiroo abruptly turned and stormed away.

"That boy never learns," Tendō mused out loud as he turned to Daichi. "He's tried trash-talking Kageyama-kun during the Shiratorizawa-Aobajōsai-Nohebi-Inarizaki combat-practice session before, and Wakatoshi-chan just roasted him in front of everyone. What did you say that day?" he then turned to ask Ushijima, whose expression hadn't changed since he appeared.

"I told him that he should focus on improving himself to meet expectations rather than trying to pull others down with him."

 _Somehow when I image Ushijima saying th_ _at_ _to me, it hurt_ _s_ _more than hearing it from Kuroo or_ _the_ _others,_  Daichi thought, turning back to Kuroo who still had his arm resting on Daichi's shoulders.

"You okay?" Kuroo asked him, voice soft and caring. It made Daichi feel so warm.

"I'm okay. It takes more than harsh words to bring me down," he replied, offering Kuroo a confident smile. The alpha smiled back and lowered his wings, but didn't pull his arm away.

"He didn't do anything to you, right?" Kuroo asked, and he sounded so genuine and worried that it made Daichi's heart skip a beat.

"No," Daichi shook his head, trying his best to keep his calm composure. "He grabbed my arm, but nothing else."

"Oh," something dangerous flashed quickly through Kuroo's eyes, too quick for Daichi to follow. "Which arm?"

"Left," Daichi answered. "But it's okay," he rolled the sleeve of his shirt up to show Kuroo where Daishō had grabbed him. Now, there was nothing but a slight red mark which would fade in time and leave no scar. "See? I'm alright."

"Okay," Kuroo nodded, his usual grin back on his face now. "Oi! Bokuto!" he then turned to call Bokuto. "Where to next?"

"Wait a sec!" Bokuto replied, turning to Kageyama and Goshiki. "Hey guys! Which booth did you get this wooden horse from?"

"The can knock-down booth," Goshiki replied, pointing at a game booth not very far away. "That one, with the pink flag in front."

"Thank you! Let's go Kuroo!" Bokuto was immediately back in his 'kid-at -a-festival' mode and ran ahead, pulling Akaashi along with him.

"Let's go," Kuroo nodded toward the way Bokuto went, but Daichi shook his head, gently pulled Kuroo's arm off his shoulder.

"You go ahead," he said, gesturing toward Kageyama, and Kuroo got the point. The alpha nodded before turning to chase after Bokuto.

"Kageyama," Daichi then turned to his junior who just received a candy apple from Tendō, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kageyama turned to him after he thanked Tendō for the candy the third year bought for him and Goshiko. "And um… about what I told you earlier…"

"I've talked to Kuroo about it," Dacihi said, making sure that only Kageyama could hear him. "I… I don't know if I can believe him, but he swore that he's not ordered to keep an eye on us."

"I talked to Ushijima-san about it too," Kageyama sighed, "or rather, he talked to me about it."

"And what did he say?"

"He told me that we're not that much of a threat to the North," Kageyama shrugged. "I don't know if I should believe him, but it is reasonable. We're just kids to them. Did you tell anyone else about what I said?"

"No," Daichi shook his head, "I didn't have the chance. At first, I thought about telling Suga and Asahi, but I couldn't find the place or time to be alone with them."

"I see," Kageyama nodded, turning to look at the other Shiratorizawa students standing not far from them, but far enough to give them some privacy. "So, how are you doing Sawamura-san?"

"I'm good," Daichi nodded, smiling. "And you?"

"I think I'm doing fine," Kageyama replied to him with a sparkle in his eyes. Daichi didn't see that often, only when Kageyama was really happy.

"Good," he couldn't help but return that smile. "Are you staying until the firework contest?"

"Yes," Kageyama nodded. "Ushijima-san has a relative here, so we're going to stay at his place. Are you staying?"

"Yes, Kuroo has a relative here too." Daichi said, turning to see where Kuroo and Bokuto had gone off to. From the look on Akaashi's face, the beta was pleading for him to come help control Kuroo and Bokuto. "I think I have to go before those two drive Akaashi crazy, see you later then. Take care."

"You too, Sawamura-san," Kageyama replied, lowering his head a bit to show his respect before they parted ways. Daichi jogged toward the game booth Kuroo and Bokuto were crashing while Kageyama turned to the Shiratorizawa students waiting for him.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The festival was overall enjoyable and fun. Kuroo and Bokuto seemed to be fixed on beating each other and the game booths as much as possible while Akaashi and Daichi tried to make sure they wouldn't cause any trouble. In the end, all four of them had their hands full with all the prizes Kuroo and Bokuto won from each game booth.

Kuroo's place was not far from the town. Well, actually, it was less of a house and more of a manor built on a hill on the outskirts of town. Its perimeter was surrounded by a high stone wall and tall trees. As they walked down the road, Daichi noticed that there were several more manors scattered around this side of town.

"Here we are!" Kuroo said as they stood in front of a big gate decorated with cat statues on either side. The alpha clapped his hands, and the gate slowly opened.

 _Magic_ , Daichi thought as they walked in. Behind them, the gate closed quietly.

A stone path led from the gate toward the manor inside. Lamps, which were hung on the lowest branches of the trees on both sides of the path, light themselves up when Kuroo walked past. At the front door waited an old woman with emerald-green wings resembling those of a quetzal.

"Young master," she called, smiling at Kuroo.

"There is no need for formality here, Mikoto-san," Kuroo replied to the old woman whom he later introduced to Daichi as the head of housekeeping at the manor.

Kuroo's cousin was out of town and wouldn't be back this week, so they had the place to themselves. Kuroo also informed Mikoto that there would be more students from House Nekoma coming to stay the night, too.

"I've talked to Kenma, it seems like he'll be staying the night here, which is surprising," Kuroo said as he led them toward the guest bedrooms. "I guess it's because of your junior, Hinata. Kenma seems to like him a lot and doesn't want him to find his way back to the academy alone at night."

"So, they're going to stay here too?" Bokuto asked, eyes sparkling. "Good! The more the merrier. I can't wait for the pillow fight tonight!"

"Bokuto-san, please…" Akaashi groaned from behind him.

"Yes, and also Lev and Yaku," Kuroo nodded. "I'm lucky Yamamoto's family has a house somewhere in the town though, so he and Tanaka won't be here. One walking disaster is enough."

"Wait, walking disaster? You mean me?" Bokuto yelled, growling playfully at Kuroo.

"This is your room," however, they reached the first guest bedroom before Bokuto could continue. Kuroo quickly opened the door and shoved both Akaashi and Bokuto in. "Dinner is at 6:30, don't be late!" He shut the door in their faces.

"One walking disaster, hm?" Daichi chuckled after they walked away from Bokuto and Akaashi's room.

"Yes, a giant walking disaster," Kuroo sighed. "Last year we had a pillow fight, and he nearly kept all of us up until sunrise whether you joined the pillow war or not."

"Oh," Daichi gulped, "I can image that."

"Yeah," Kuroo laughed softly. "This way," he said and walked toward the room at the end of the corridor. "We'll be staying here, as far away from Bokuto as possible."

"Mhm…" Daichi nodded, then froze when it registered. "We?"

"Yes," Kuroo nodded nonchalantly as he pushed the door open. "This place has three guest bedrooms. Two are for two people, and one is for four people. I can't have Bokuto rooming with Lev nor Hinata unless I don't want to sleep, and I'm not going to room with them either."

"Oh, okay," Daichi nodded, followed Kuroo inside. At first, he thought about asking if Kuroo wanted to stay with Kenma, but then changed his mind since he didn't want to stay with two energetic first years either.

The bedroom they were in had two beds, to Daichi's relief. Apart from the beds, it also had two wardrobes and a bathroom. But what caught Daichi's attention the most were the three giant windows which dominated one side of room. The glass stretched from the ceiling down toward the floor with blue curtains covering half of them.

"Do you like it?" Kuroo asked as he pulled the curtain to one side and tied it there.

"I…" Daichi looked around the well-decorated room to the view of the town not far away from the window and smiled. "I don't know what to say. Thank you. Thank you for letting me stay…"

"Nghh, no need to thank me, I'm the one dragging you here." Kuroo shook his head, smiling as he pointed toward the bathroom. "You go first, I'll go take care of the dinner."

"Okay," Daichi nodded, watching Kuroo leave the room. The omega sighed and slowly put his bag down from his back. Inside contained his new clothes and a small pouch for collecting his feathers.

 _I have to get rid of them soon,_  Daichi thought as he walked into the bathroom. He thought about the pouch back at the dorm which was almost full, but he still couldn't find a safe way to get rid of the feathers inside.  _Maybe I should burn them, but when and where? Maybe I can bury them…? Ngh, when and where again. Shit… I_ _have_ _to think of something soon._

However, the warm water soon distracted Daichi from his thoughts. In the end, he allowed himself to enjoy the warm bath and told himself to think about getting rid of the feathers later.

 

 

Dinner was quick and they were going out as soon as they finished their meal. After they walked out of the manor, Bokuto and Akaashi didn't hesitate to take to the sky. Akaashi took off silently while Bokuto went ahead with a loud, happy shout.

"We're not walking?" Daichi asked, surprised, as he watched Bokuto and Akaashi fly happily up into sky. He was expecting them to walk back to town just like how they got here.

"No," Kuroo shook his head, a trademark grin on his face. "The best place to watch the contest is on the rooftop. Come on, I'll take you there."

"Okay," Daichi walked toward Kuroo, but this time the alpha didn't turn his back toward him. "Um, Kuroo…?" he asked, moving to get behind the taller male, but Kuroo turned with him so they were still face to face.

"It's not a long flight," Kuroo said, his voice turning soft and his eyes glittering under the dimmed lights from the front porch of the manor.

 _Wait…d_ _oes_ _he mean…?!_  Daichi blinked, his face flushed red as Kuroo extended one hand toward him, his palm facing the sky.

"Trust me," Kuroo's voice was soft and genuine as he took a step closer, still holding his hand out for Daichi. "I won't let you fall," the alpha said, taking another step until they were both in each other's space.

Daichi's breath caught in his throat as he looked up and saw that the familiar pair of hazel eyes were closer than he thought and seemed to glow in the dark. He blinked, licked his lips, but nothing came out as Kuroo leaned forward a bit.

"I promise," the alpha spoke, voice soft and vibrating in Daichi's ears.

 _Too close, too close!_  The omega immediately jerked away, face redder than a tomato. "Okay, okay! Jeez, you're going to give me a heart attack one day!"

"Oh, really?" Kuroo laughed, a genuine laugh followed by a shit-eating-grin. "Come on then," he still had his hand held out, and Daichi tried to pretend that he was angry as he grabbed Kuroo's hand a bit more forcefully than he intended to.

"Oi, someone's impatient."

"Shut it." Daichi growled, averting his eyes as Kuroo chuckled. Then, the alpha stepped close and placed one hand on Daichi's other arm.

"May I?" the alpha asked, slowly guiding his own hand down toward Daichi's. The omega nodded and let Kuroo take both of his hands and place them on the alpha's shoulders. Then, Kuroo gently grabbed his upper arm and pulled until Daichi was flat against his chest with his arms hugging Kuroo's shoulders loosely.

"Okay, now we're halfway there."

Because of the position they were in, Daichi had to rest his head on one of Kuroo's shoulders while Kuroo's had his chin pressing against his other shoulder and one side of his face against Daichi's head.

"Halfway?" Daichi pretended to snore, but it came out like a whisper. Kuroo nodded against his head and Daichi couldn't help but think that it must look like Kuroo was nuzzling him.

"Halfway," Kuroo replied, hand dipping down to gently touch Daichi's hips, carefully, as if the alpha was afraid of startling him. "You good?"

"I'm good," Daichi said, confused as to why both of them were talking with voices barely above a whisper. Yet, when Kuroo trailed one of his hands up, the omega froze in place.

"It's okay," Kuroo was fast to reassure him. "I'm going to hug you, okay? Then one of my arms is going to go under your knees and we'll be up in the sky in no time. Trust me."

 _Trust me._ Kuroo's words echoed in his head. Daichi gulped. He trusted Kuroo to some degree, but he wasn't sure if he trusted Kuroo enough to let the alpha touch his back; however, his gut-feeling said that this was worth it. His instinct also joined in, saying that Kuroo was trustworthy and that Daichi wouldn't regret it.

It took Daichi a while before he finally replied in a whisper, "I trust you."

Daichi could feel Kuroo's smiling against his ear as soon as those three words left his mouth.

"Thank you," the alpha said before one of his arms gently moved up and wrapped around the middle of Daichi's back. The omega couldn't help but tense as Kuroo's arm touched his restrained wings. He reasoned with himself that the shirts he wore were thick enough that the alpha wouldn't feel a thing.

The arm pressed harder and Daichi gasped softly, surprised that he felt secure rather than scared.

"Here we go," Kuroo whispered against his ear before the alpha dipped down, one arm hooked under Daichi's knees, and lifted him up bridal style.

Daichi yelped in surprise from the sudden movement but didn't move his arms from around Kuroo's shoulders. Before he had time to register what had just happened, Kuroo spread his wings and started flying.

"Took you long enough!" Bokuto shouted from somewhere up ahead. Daichi looked up and saw the alpha flying above them, wings flapping soundlessly against the still air. "Hey, hey, hey! Akaashi! Kuroo and Sawamura look like a newlywed couple on their honeymoon!"

"We're not!" Daichi found himself yelling at Bokuto as soon as his brain registered what the alpha had said. This was the first time he had yelled at the other alpha. Yet, it seemed like this only encouraged Bokuto even more.

"But you two look like one!" The president of House Fukurōdani shouted and dived down, only to shoot up again. "Let's go than, keep up lovebirds!"

"For the love of…" Daichi frowned, semi-consciously hiding his face in Kuroo's shoulder. The black-haired alpha just chuckled as he nuzzled his chin against Daichi's head.

"Pretend you don't hear him, or he'll be calling us that for weeks," Kuroo said, and Daichi pulled his head from the alpha's shoulder. He caught Kuroo's eyes and nodded, noting that Kuroo's eyes seemed to shine in the dark.

 

The rooftop they were going to wasn't very far. As they landed, Daichi was torn between wanting this moment to go on forever and not wanting Kuroo to discover his wings, but he had to admit that being carried in this position was quite comfortable.

"Okay! Here we are!" Kuroo announced as he set Daichi down and stretched, his wings spread out before they folded back neatly. "It shouldn't be long now before the first set of fireworks are lit."

"It's six minutes to the fireworks," Akaashi said, pointing toward a giant clock not so far away. The clock was built on a tall building to be seen all over the town.

"Hey, hey, hey! It seems like we're not the only ones up here," Bokuto shouted from their left, and all three of them turned to where the alpha was pointing. There, on the building beside them, stood the students from House Shiratorizawa.

Tendō and Goshiki waved at them while Kageyama and Ushijima gave them a nod. Daichi couldn't help but feel like Kageyama was a smaller version of Ushijima.

"Those two look good together," Kuroo spoke up beside him.

"Which ones?" Daichi raised his eyebrows, turning back to the alpha beside him.

"Kageyama and Ushijima," Kuroo said. There was a grin on his face, but it was playful and genuine. "Their personalities match well. Actually, I think Ushijima is courting your junior."

"Wait, what?" Daichi was gaping now. "Courting?"

"You don't see it? The signs are obvious even if you didn't know both of them before." Kuroo rolled his eyes. "Alphas tend to flaunt their wings a lot when they're near someone they're courting. Normally Ushijima will fold his wings neatly and press them tightly against his back if he isn't going to use them, but he lets his wings out a lot when he's around your first year."

"I… really? I didn't notice," Daichi mused. He had heard about this courting behavior before, but never put much thought into it. Daichi was so focused on Ushijima and Kageyama that he missed the wild, hungry look mixed with a little frustration from Kuroo. When he looked back, Kuroo's eyes were back on the students from House Shiratorizawa.

"Moreover, Ushijima isn't a very sociable person. He doesn't mind being alone and even enjoys solitude a lot, but now he's almost always around Kageyama," Kuroo added. There was a slight edge on his voice that gave Daichi a feeling that the alpha was talking about something else besides Ushijima and Kageyama, but since he had no idea what it was, and thinking about it only made him felt weirdly warm and his stomach do strange flips, Daichi tried not to think about it and told himself that he would figure it out when the time came.

"It's called guarding, one of the obvious signs of courtship. Kuroo said that I used to do it a lot when I was courting Akaashi!" Bokuto joined in with his usual large smile. It almost startled Daichi while Kuroo just snorted.

"Bokuto-san, please," behind Bokuto, Akaashi groaned, face reddened.

"Please what? Why're you blushing?" Bokuto immediately turned toward his lover, who seemed to be trying to shrink into the shadow behind him. "It's me who should be embarrassed! I didn't realize I was guarding until Kuroo pointed it out!"

"My goodness," Akaashi shook his head and walked to the other corner of the roof, and even his ears seemed to be burning right now. Bokuto was right behind him, asking Akaashi what was wrong.

"That's… wow," Daichi gulped, blinking as he watched Bokuto trying to see Akaashi's covered face. "I don't know what to say."

"I would say that both of them are luckier than Ushijima and Kageyama," Kuroo said. "At least Akaashi was aware that Bokuto was courting him while your first year seems to notice nothing."

"I don't think so," Daichi shook his head. "Kageyama's smart. I'm sure he'll figure it out," he said with confidence, and was surprised to see a mixed expression on Kuroo's face.

"Really?" the alpha looked like he was torn between groaning in frustration and laughing out loud. Daichi frowned and was about to ask what was wrong when there was a loud cheering from the center of the town.

"The contest is about to start," Kuroo said, turning to look. Daichi nodded and turned to look at the town as well, waiting for the first set of fireworks to light up the sky.

 

The first firework was a bright red peony. It bloomed in the sky and the crowded cheered. The second firework was also a peony, but green. After that, a set of fireworks followed. Red, purple, blue, green, pink, and yellow blooming in the sky, bathing everything and fascinating everyone in their short glory.

Daichi noticed that the North also added magic to the firework, same as in the South. After a set of peony fireworks mixed with some chrysanthemums and rosettes, the second set was fired. At first, they looked like simple comet fireworks, but they gathered together as they shot up into the sky and created an image of a Pegasus. The crowd's cheering was even louder as more fireworks were launched and more images appeared in the sky.

"This is amazing," Daichi said as he watched image after image after image bloom and fade above them. Beside him, Kuroo hummed in agreement, and Daichi didn't mind when the alpha put one arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer until their sides met.

"Yeah, it is," Kuroo said, voice soft. Daichi turned to look at him and, well, that was a grave mistake, because suddenly Daichi's brain decided that Kuroo looked so bloody hot under the artificial lights from the fireworks above.

 _Wait, what on earth was I thinking?_  Daichi bit the inside of his cheek and quickly turned his attention back to the sky. He hoped that the dimmed and artificial lights from above would help hide his blush.

 

 

The firework contest continued for a good hour, and Daichi enjoyed every minute of it. Besides enjoying the fireworks, Daichi did catch Bokuto and Akaashi kissing several times. When he did, Daichi would quickly look away.

"That was… I don't know how to describe it," Daichi said after the show ended. He turned to look at Kuroo and saw that the alpha was smiling at him.

"Thank you for taking me here," Daichi continued, voice turned softer as he smiled at Kuroo. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Kuroo replied. His eyes were glittering under the lights from the town below, and Daichi just realized how close they were.

"Kuroo…?" he asked softly, feeling his face heat up as he noticed that their faces were just inches away from each other.

Bokuto's loud shout broke them apart. "Oi! You two can head back first! Akaashi and I will be here for a while."

"Okay!" Kuroo shouted back, looking annoyed but also amused. "And don't have sex in public!"

"I won't!" Bokuto shouted back, grinning wildly while Akaashi hid his face in Bokuto's shoulder.

"Okay, let's give those two some privacy. Bokuto tends to be sappy when he's watching the stars with Akaashi," Kuroo said chuckling as he held his hand out for Daichi. "Do you want to walk around a bit before going back? Some shops are still open."

"I'd like that," Daichi replied, and yelped when Kuroo picked him up and jumped down from the building, using his wings to glide down to the ground.

"Next time, tell me first if you're going to do something like that!" Daichi yelled at Kuroo as soon as his feet touched the ground. Kuroo just laughed and didn't fight when Daichi pretended to punch him.

"So, where do you want to start first?" Kuroo asked after Daichi was done punching him. The omega looked around. The festival was still going on and some game booths were still open.

"A game?" Daichi asked, titling his head toward the game booths on their left. "Some booths are still open."

"Sounds good," Kuroo nodded and both of them headed toward the booth.

 

For the next ten minutes, Kuroo and Daichi tried to beat each other at any game booths that were still open. Daichi mostly lost, but he didn't complain since they still got the rewards nonetheless.

"Man, I'm thirsty," Kuroo mused after they left the sixth game booth. Daichi hummed his agreement, eyes looking for another booth or shop.

"There," Daichi gestured toward one of the few beverage booths still open.

"Alright, I won't be long," Kuroo said, handing some toys he got to Daichi to hold as he quickly jogged toward the booth. Daichi sighed happily as he looked around him. Many people were leaving with a smile on their face.

 _Despite Daishō, this day_ _'s been_ _great, one of the_ _best_ _day_ _s_ _I_ _'ve_ _ever had,_  Daichi thought as he let a soft smile appear on his face. His eyes were fixed on the back of Kuroo as the alpha lined up in the queue.  _Thank you, Kuroo._

However, before Daichi could fully relax, he felt as if there was something crawling up behind him. On instinct, he dug to the right, and a swing of a sheathed sword missed the middle of his head. It slammed into the side of his face instead and sent Daichi face first to the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your supports! I'll update the next chapter as soon as possible ^^


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your supports! Also, I'm sorry that I'm not able to reply to all of the comments in the previous chapter. I've been very busy in the past few days. Nevertheless, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter though ^^
> 
> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

"What the hell are you doing here, loser?"

 _Loser? Me?_ Daichi blinked, trying to get his vision back. He tasted blood in his mouth, and his left cheek was throbbing badly.

"Get up!"

Someone dragged him by his collar. Daichi didn't fight back as he was dragged to his feet and pushed backwards. The omega stumbled back and looked up. Now he could see his attackers clearly. There were three of them, alphas, all wearing Northern soldier uniforms. Daichi could smell the alcohol on their breath.

 _Drunk?_  Daichi blinked as he looked at them. He noted that the soldier who grabbed him had light brown hair and a crooked nose. The other two alphas looked drunk as well, one swaying on his feet and the other one had a scar on his left cheek.

"You, Southern scum," the soldier with light brown hair pulled a short sword out from its sheath and pointed it at Daichi's throat. "I'm gonna cut you open," he slurred, his mouth curved into a wicked grin while his eyes were full of rage. "Gut you like you did to my baby brother…"

"Sir, you must have misunderstood. I've never…" Daichi held up both of his hands as he tried to tell the drunk man that he wasn't the one the alpha was talking about, but a hand grabbed him by the throat before he could finish.

"Shut up!" the alpha with the crooked nose shouted, his left hand at Daichi's throat while the other lined the sword up with Daichi's neck. "I don't want to hear your last words, filthy…"

However, before the crooked-nosed alpha could push his sword into Daichi's throat, a hand shot out from somewhere beside Daichi and crushed the man's left wrist hard enough for the bones to break. The crooked-nosed soldier let go of Daichi's throat and howled in pain. His good hand let go of the sword to cradle the injured one.

"Who the fuck do you think you are!" the crooked-nosed alpha screamed, taking a step back toward his friends. The other two alphas snarled, showing their teeth as they stepped to back their friend up.

"Who am I?" a familiar voice repeated from beside Daichi, and the omega shivered slightly at how cold the voice sounded. He had never heard Kuroo talk like this before. However, he didn't flinch when Kuroo gently put one hand on his shoulder as the president of House Nekoma stepped out from the shadows. His large, dark-brown wings unfurled slowly as he stepped forward and shielded Daichi from the soldiers.

"A…Cap…Captain!"

The alpha with a scar on his left cheek stuttered, face becoming paler and eyes widening as he saw who was standing in front of them.

 _They know Kuroo… and Kuroo knows them?_  Daichi averted his eyes from his attackers to look at Kuroo. He almost gasped at the look he saw on the alpha's face. Kuroo no longer had his usual grin nor his laidback vibe. All of those were replaced with a stern look and cold eyes, even colder than the one his parents had when they looked at Daichi.

 _I've never seen him look like this before, not even when he scolds the first year for going out at night on a weekday_ , Daichi thought as a chill ran down his spine.

"Who hit him?" Kuroo continued, voice cold and hard. "Which one of you? Or all three of you?" he showed his canines as he talked, and there was a rumble deep in his throat.

 _Kuroo's growling?_  Daichi blinked. Kuroo barely growled, even when he was sparring with Bokuto, and then he always did it playfully. But this time it was different. This time the growl was to warn the other alphas that they shouldn't mess with him.

"It was him," the two soldiers immediately pointed at their crooked-nosed friend. Their voices shook as they spoke. "Please, we didn't do anything."

 _They're afraid of Kuroo_ , Daichi noted as he watched Kuroo turn his eyes to the crooked-nosed alpha. His eyes were still cold and hard, and the stern look was still on his face.  _I've never seen him like this before. It's… terrifying_ , Daichi gulped. He had never thought that he would say this, but right now Kuroo scared him. The alpha looked like he was ready to literally kill someone.

"But that's a Southerner," the crooked-nosed alpha spoke. "We can do whatever we like with him!"

Kuroo took a step forward, and the light-haired alpha immediately sat up. Hazel eyes turned from the crooked-nosed alpha to the other two. Kuroo's voice was even colder when he spoke again, "take your friend to the House of Healing. Tomorrow, meet me at the practice yard. All of you."

"Yes, sir!" both alphas replied before they quickly scattered, dragging their injured friend along. Fear and trepidation were clear in their eyes.

After all three of them were gone, Kuroo turned back to Daichi. "Are you alright?" the alpha asked, his voice was soft and full with concern, all the coldness disappeared. Yet, there was something in Kuroo's eyes that made Daichi's shiver. It was like Kuroo was ready to go after those three and rip them to shreds if Daichi asked him to.

"I'm okay," Daichi nodded, touching his left cheek with one hand and bit his lower lip as it still hurt. "It's not that bad, right?" he titled his head to give Kuroo a clearer view of his cheek.

"It's red, very red," Kuroo replied, frowning. Daichi swore that Kuroo was baring his teeth a little and there was a hard look on the alpha's eyes. "Come on, let's get back. I'll get you some medicine to relieve the pain –"

"Kuroo-kun! Suwamara-kun!"

Before Kuroo could finish, another familiar voice called out to them. Both Daichi and Kuroo turned to the left and saw Goshiki and Tendō diving down from the sky toward them. Daichi noticed that Tendō's face was paler than usual while Goshiki's eyes were wide and he didn't seem to be putting much mind to flying because he almost crashed into Tendō as they got closer to Kuroo and Daichi.

"What's the matter?" Kuroo asked as both students from House Shiratorizawa landed. Daichi noticed that Goshiki looked breathless, with flared nostrils and dilated pupils. It was like the younger male was in shock.

"That boy, Kageyama," Tendō was still panting as he tried to speak, his voice hoarse as he choked the words out. "He went into heat while we were walking back to Wakatoshi's place."

"Into heat?!" Daichi gasped, eyes wide. He had had a suspicion that Kageyama was an omega, but he had never thought that something liked this would happen. "He… He's an omega, and in heat?"  _Shit, this is very, very bad! Especially here, where there are plenty of alphas around._  Daichi shivered as he thought about the three alphas from before.

"Yes," Tendō nodded, putting one hand on Goshiki's shoulder, who gave out a small groan. The young alpha was very tense and struggling to stand still. "I've got to get Goshiki away. He's too young and not able to fully control the urge yet."

"I'm sorry," Goshiki groaned, hands balled into fists as he bit his lip. Sweat started to appear on his forehead as the young alpha did his best to control himself.

"It's okay Tsutomu." Tendō clapped Goshiki'a shoulder. "You didn't jump him. That's amazing since this is your first time encountering an omega in heat."

"But I almost did," Goshiki said, voice shaking. "I… I should be able to walk away."

"Hey, you're still a lot better than other alphas I've seen," Tendō shook his head. "Believe me Tsutomu, you did well –"

"What about Kageyama?" Daichi spoke up, cutting Tendō off because he could no longer wait for the redhead to calm Goshiki down first. "And Ushijima?"

"Kageyama sprinted off into the woods as soon as he realized what was happening," Tendō replied, sighing. Worry and frustration was clear on the beta's face. "Wakatoshi-chan said that he would get Kageyama back and went after him. I wanted to go too, but I needed to take care of him," he gestured toward Goshiki. The first year's pupils were still dilated and he seemed to be focusing only on breathing.

"But Ushijima is an alpha!" Daichi exclaimed, panicked. "And Kageyama's in heat! That's not…"

"It's okay," Kuroo spoke up. His voice was genuine. "Among the alphas I know, he's the one with the most self-control."

"Also, Wakatoshi-chan has dealt with an omega in heat before," Tendō added. "Last year, Shirabu-kun went into heat during the combat practice session of our dorm. Wakatoshi-chan fought eleven alphas off and escorted Shirabu back without touching him. You can trust him. He'll never take advantage of anyone, especially Kageyama-kun, I promise."

"I hope so," Daichi replied, still not believing Tendō much. However, Kuroo grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently, reassuring Daichi that it was okay. "Is there anything I can help with? I know how to make a one-night suppressant potion. It might not be as effective as the usual, but at least it might help a little…"

Tendō was about to answer, but Kuroo beat him to it. "Good idea. I'll take Goshiki back to the academy, Tendō –"

"Got it!" Tendō interrupted, pretending to be annoyed at Kuroo. Yet his expression changed to relieved quickly as he turned to Daichi. "You can make a suppressant? That's great! Let's go then, we've got a lot to do. And don't worry about the ingredients, at the manor we have everything you need to make most of the potions in the world. Gosh, at first I thought we'd have to wait it out since there's no drug store in town and none of us knew how to make a suppressant…" the beta chattered off as he pulled Daichi along. However, the omega could tell that Tendō was hiding his concerns under that chatter.

"Everything's going to be alright," Kuroo said to him as Daichi turned to look at the alpha. His voice was soft and genuine. "I'll be right back. It's going to be alright. Try not to get attacked again before I'm back to protect you."

"Funny," Daichi chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. However, when he looked at Kuroo, he realized that the alpha was serious.

"I'll be right back," Kuroo repeated, his eyes had never left Daichi's.

The omega nodded quickly, not trusting himself to say a word as he quickly followed the red-haired beta. His cheeks blushed.

As Daichi turned to look at Kuroo one last time before he and Tendō rounded the corner, Kuroo mouthed something at him. Even though he couldn't hear it, Daichi just knew that Kuroo was telling him yet again that everything was going to be alright.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

_Three hundred meters_ _._

Wakatoshi thought as he sprinted through the woods. He was sure that it would be less than three minutes before he caught up with Kageyama, or less than two minutes if he ran at a faster pace. However, despite the logical part of his brain telling him to be quick and get to Kageyama before the younger male injured himself any further, the primal part of it told him to take his time, to enjoy the hunt.

The hunt was one of the oldest mating rituals between an alpha and an omega, and one of the simplest. The omega would run, and the alpha would chase. The hunt was the same in every culture, the North and the South both. But Wakatoshi knew that this was not the hunt, at least not in their case. He knew that Kageyama fled because the younger male was afraid, but maybe Kageyama's instinct might take part in this. Wakatoshi had experienced before how instinct could drive someone to do something they had never thought of before.

As he sprinted after the omega, Wakatoshi could taste the scent of blood mixed with something sweet and suggestive in the air. He couldn't help but lick his lips, his canines lengthening. Yet, as he let his alpha side enjoy the scent and the hunt, the rational part of his brain told him that he didn't have much time. Kageyama's heat would hit fully soon, and he would be in trouble too if he couldn't get the young omega back to the manor in time.

Wakatoshi knew how hard it was to resist an omega in heat, especially an unmated one. He had experienced it before, and he knew how much he could take before he would snap; that was one of the reasons why he was accepted into the army early.

Now he could see Kageyama. The omega was stumbling but still managed to pick himself up. The alpha let out a low rumble before he took to the trees. Most winged people preferred to fly when they had to travel quickly, but Wakatoshi valued strengthening both his legs and his wings, so he had no problem climbing and jumping from branch to branch, another reason he was accepted early.

It didn't take long before Kageyama ran out of fuel and collapsed against a tree. Blood filled the air as Wakatoshi moved closer to the young omega. He crouched down on a branch and waited to see if this was the time he should approach the Kageyama; he couldn't risk the other running away again. They were almost out of time.

 _His right leg_ _'s injured_ _,_ Wakatoshi noted as he looked at Kageyama.  _But he's standing up again_ _,_  another voice said as he watched Kageyama pull himself back up. He decided to wait and let the omega walk forward a bit before he approached.

'Wakatoshi-chan! Did you catch up to him yet?'

Tendō's voice filled his head. Telepathic powers – one of the rarer gifts among the winged people. Wakatoshi had it too, but his wasn't as strong as Tendō's nor Kuroo's.

'Not yet,' Wakatoshi replied, 'but I'm close.'

'Okay! I was just checking in to tell you that I've got Sawamura-kun making a one-night suppressant here, and Kuroo-kun is taking Tsutomu back to the Academy. Let me know as soon as you've got to him!'

'Affirmative'

'You don't have to be so formal, Wakatoshi-chan. This isn't the army, and you're not on duty!'

Wakatoshi didn't reply to that and cut the communication. He turned his attention back to Kageyama as he watched the omega push off the tree and start limping away. He was sure that Kageyama was going to bolt as soon as he heard him coming closer, so Wakatoshi decided to use the other gift he had.

Slowly, dead leaves and broken branches moved away from his path as if there was a strong wind blowing them. All of them landed softly and cleared a path for him to walk without making a sound. Telekinesis, one of the rare gifts among the winged people. Liked telepathy, it couldn't be learned, you had to born with it.

Kageyama didn't seem to notice the leaves and branches slowly moving away as he leaned against the tree. Wakatoshi decided that this was the time to approach the omega.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

_I have to run._

_Run._

_Just run!_

Tobio panted as he sprinted through the forest. He had no idea where he was nor where he was heading; he only knew that he had to run. He had to get away from everyone before his heat fully hit.

Tobio tripped over rocks and tree roots more than once since he could barely see anything in the dark, but he didn't care. His body was throbbing with pain and Tobio hoped that it would stay that way until he found somewhere safe. He couldn't let the need overwhelm the pain, or he would be on all fours howling for any alphas to take him.

"Shit…" Tobio groaned as he stumbled forward after tripping over another rock. Yet, this time the pain wasn't just from the cuts he got after he fell down. It started from his right foot and went up to his knee.

"No… shit… no…" Tobio gasped and panted as he did his best to pull himself into a standing position. He limped away from the spot, biting his lower lip as pain shot through his right leg.

It took several minutes before Tobio was able to walk again. The pain was still there, and Tobio didn't dare to look down. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to go on if he saw what had happened to his leg.

 _Run! Run now or he'll catch you_ _,_ _and then you're done!_  His brain screamed, and Kageyma took off despite the pain. He pushed himself to go as fast as possible even though he was limping.

"Kageyama!"

Someone shouted his name. Tobio didn't need to look up to know who that person was.

"Kageyama!"

Another shout, closer this time. Tobio bit his lip as he forced himself to move. He couldn't go any faster, but he still forced himself to try. However, a sudden wave of heat surged through his body and Tobio stumbled before landing face first on the ground. He groaned, trying to get up before he felt something dripping out from between his legs, soaking his pants.

 _Shit! No, no, no!_  Tobio mentally screamed as he pulled his legs under his body. _Get up! You need to get up now! Now! Now!_  Fear drove him to stand up and run. Even though he could still run, Tobio knew he would be out of fuel and time soon. The heat had just started, but the first wave hadn't hit yet. If he couldn't get away before it did, that's it. He would be done.

 _I need to keep going, just keep going…_  Tobio told himself as he pushed himself to walk.  _I need to get away… just get away… just get away from here…_

"Kageyama"

Tobio looked up and gasped when he saw that Ushijima was now in front of him. He had no idea where the alpha came from nor how Ushijima was able to sneak up on him like this.

"Kageyama," Ushijima took a step closer, one hand extended toward him. His expression hadn't changed from when they first met. "Let's head back," the alpha said, voice steady and deprived of any emotion just likes always. However, it didn't help calm Tobio down, not one bit.

"Get back!" Tobio shouted, stepping backward. His hand grabbed on the nearest branch to balance himself. Now he was even more panicked, and Ushijima smelled so good that his omega side was shouting in joy and excitement for Tobio to just present himself.

"You're hurt," Ushijima continued as if he didn't see how frightened Tobio was. "Your leg, it needs to be treat soon-"

"I don't care!" Tobio shouted, walking backwards. "You're not coming any closer!" A pain shot through his right leg as the wounds were chafed against a tree trunk. His vision went white as Tobio tried his best to suppress a scream.

When he opened his eyes again, Ushijima was already kneeling in front of him. The alpha hadn't touched him, but he was looking at Tobio with those calm olive eyes. His scent became stronger since they were closer to each other.

Tobio knees weakened, both from the pain and from the proximity, but before he collapsed, Ushijima was there to support him. Despite his stern face, the alpha's hands were gentle as they helped Tobio sit down. To Tobio's surprise, Ushijima hadn't yet made an attempt to grab him or even scent him. He just let go of Tobio as soon as he was sure the younger male wouldn't hurt himself.

"I'm okay," Tobio pulled his legs toward his body, avoiding eyes contact as it would only make the situation worse. He looked everywhere but Ushijima and tried his best to ignore the slick running from between his legs. The omega side of him was screaming that he should let Ushijima touch him, but Tobio resisted it.

"Kageyama," Ushijima said, his voice still as calm as ever, "let me help you."

"No," Tobio shook his head, whimpering as even a slight movement brought so much pain. He could sense that the first wave was about to hit soon. "Please, just leave me be."

"You're in the middle of the forest," the alpha replied, extending his hand toward the younger male. "I promise I won't do anything. I will not take advantage of you."

Tobio was torn between pushing Ushijima away and pulling the alpha close. He knew that it was a very good thing that Ushijima wasn't going to take advantage of him (he fully trusted Ushijima because he knew the alpha always meant everything he said), but at the same time, in the depth of his mind, Tobio wished that Ushijima would ask if Tobio wanted to spend his heat with him. He didn't know why, but he just knew that if there was an alpha he would be okay to spend his heat with right now, it was Ushijima.

 _That's not going to happen_ , Tobio scolded himself, trying his best to ignore the moaning from his omega side.  _You're an omega and a black bird, no one will be able to love you. No one will accept you. Even Ushijima-san will leave as soon as he knows what you are._  Images from his childhood flashed before his eyes, and Tobio shivered as he did his best to push them away.

"Kageyama" Ushijima called him again, his hand touching Tobio's forearm. The omega flinched, eyes widening. However, this time the alpha didn't pull his hand away.

"Trust me"

 _You can trust him,_  a rational part of his brain said,  _he's never lied to you before._

 _But he's an alpha!_  Another voice shouted.

_So what? Not every alpha is an asshole! He won't do anything to you!_

_But he would if he kn_ _e_ _w you_ _were_ _a black bird! He's in an army, remember?!_

An image of a black bird in his village being burnt alive flashed through Tobio's eyes and he shivered in fear. His parents had taken him to that execution to show him what would happen if anyone found out he was a black bird.

' _A black bird is a bad omen, even a deformed one or a pinioned one_ ' were his father's words. He told this to Tobio after hitting him with a chair, shouting that he was the reason Tobio's mother died so early from illness. Tobio was listening to his father from the floor, his deformed black wings pressed against his back. They were the second set of wings that grew from his back after his first were chopped off as soon as his parents were sure he was born a black bird.

Not long after his mother's death, his father had abandoned him and sent Tobio to live with his maternal uncle. He had also forbidden Tobio from using his surname. Tobio had to take his mother's old surname despite how his maternal uncle hated him. However, at least his uncle was kind enough to give him a place to stay, three meals a day, and pay for his education.

"Kageyama"

Ushijima's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Tobio looked up and was met with a pair of dark olive eyes, as calm and emotionless as always.

"Why are you doing this?" Tobio gasped out, shaking his head. "Why are you so good to me when I'm just a hostage?"

Ushijima frowned, moving closer and placed his other hand on Tobio's knee. The omega flinched but didn't jerk his knee away because he had nowhere to go.

"I've told you before, you're not a hostage to me," the alpha spoke, voice soft and caring. Tobio almost cried because he had longed for this, longed for someone who was kind to him without any hidden agenda. His friends and seniors at Karasuno were good to him, but no one seemed to know him liked Ushijima did. The alpha understood him even though his communication skill were very bad, and he didn't get upset with how poor Tobio's choice of words could be. Moreover, Ushijima had been taking very good care of him. So good that it made the empty hole in his chest lessen and made Tobio feel like he was needed in this world.

"Then what am I to you?" he asked the question he had been wanting to ask since the day Ushijima grabbed his arm in front of the library and explained to him that the alpha wasn't ordered to keep an eye on any of the exchange students.

Ushijima's eyes softened. "You're the most wonderful person I've ever met."

It was simple but honest, and that made Tobio's heart skip a beat as warmth surged through his veins, making him think that everything was going to be okay.

Tobio groaned and shut his eyes, telling himself that this was the only way.

 _Hey, since he's going to find out about what you really are someday, you better enjoy the time when he still wants to be around you,_  another voice in his head said. That hit Tobio hard, but he knew better than to argue because it was true. No matter who he thought he was, in the end he was a black bird. And no one wanted a black bird.

_Yeah, I better enjoy it before this dream end_ _s_ _. Who knows how long I have before Ushijima-san_ _discovers_ _I_ _'m_ _a black bird._

"Okay," Tobio finally nodded and extended his hand out and let the alpha take it. His omega side was overwhelmed by the melancholy he felt as he let Ushijima held him up liked when the alpha flew them from the Academy to this town. The heat was pulling in his stomach and crotch, but Tobio no longer cared as he instinctively pushed his nose against Ushijima's neck. The alpha's scent was the strongest there, and he let out a soft sigh as the Ushijima's scent alone was able to calm his nerve down.

_Better enjoy this dream while it last_ _s_ _._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Daichi was half way through the process of making a one-night suppressant when Tendō suddenly shouted.

"Wakatoshi-chan got him!"

"What?" Daichi asked, raising his eyebrows, "Ushijima caught up to him?"

"Yes!" Tendō nodded quickly, walking over to help pour more water into the potion which was sitting on the stove. "More water?"

"No, that's enough," Daichi gestured toward the bowl of water in Tendō's hand before he turned toward a jar of herbs on Tendō's left. "Two of those leaves please. By the way, how did you know that?"

"On it," Tendō immediately went to grab the jar and open it. "Telepathic powers! But Wakatoshi's also a telekinetic; that's one of the reason why he was accepted into the army early. A miracle with strong gifts like him is hard to come by."

"Wow," Daichi blinked. He had heard about these rare gifts among winged people, but had never met someone who actually had them. "He has two gifts? That's amazing!"

"I guess Kuroo-kun hasn't really told you about the other thing yet," Tendō suddenly frowned, and that got Daichi to frown too.

"What do you mean?" he asked, watching the redhead beta walk around the room. "Kuroo hasn't told me what?"

"Told you that he's also telepathic."

"He… he can read people's thought?" Daichi gasped.  _Kuroo can read minds?! Has he read my thoughts? Shit, if he_ _has_ _…_

"Yes, but he never does that to people without telepathic powers," Tendō quickly said as if he knew that Daichi was about to panic. "He said that he's sharpening his ability to read people without using telepathic powers, so he asked Akaashi-kun to put a forbidden charm on him until he graduates."

Daichi felt relief flood through him at Tendō's words.  _But he's quite scary without the power,_  a small voice in his head said and Daichi shivered slightly.  _Shit, Kuroo is… I don't know how to describe him. He_ _really_ _is_ _a bloody walking enigma!_

"The other students who have both telepathic and telekinetic power besides Wakatoshi-chan are Sakusa from House Itachiyama and Hoshiumi from House Kamomedai," Tendō went on, seemingly unaware of Daichi slightly zoning out. "I guess that Hoshiumi is going to be accepted by the army soon," the beta said as he counted on his fingers. "Also, despite not having telekinetic or telepathic power, our dear horned-haired friend Bokuto is still able to match them with one of the rarest gift in this generation that only he possesses."

"Only he possesses?" Daichi repeated what the other said, more to ground himself to the present and not let himself go with his train of thoughts.

"He can control the wind," Tendō blinked at him. "Seriously! The wind! The air! It's everywhere! So you get it? If Bokuto-kun gets angry and lets his control slip, he could kill all of us in the blink of an eye!"

All of what Tendō said left Daichi dizzy and gaping. He had never thought before that one of the friendliest people he met since coming here was one of the most dangerous. He agreed with what Tendō said. If Bokuto got angry and couldn't control his power, it would be a disaster.

"However," it appeared that Tendō hadn't finished yet, "Bokuto-kun might be scary, but your cat-president is not so far behind."

"What do you mean?"

"Kuroo is a Shadow Walker," Tendō said, splashing water into the sink as he rinsed the herbs that Daishi had asked him to wash. "I'm not sure what it means, Wakatoshi-chan has never told me about it, but I got a glimpse from his head that this gift would make Kuroo very dangerous if he's able to master it."

"I…" Daichi gasped. "I didn't know about this. Kuroo hasn't told me."  _Shadow walker?_ _I_ _h_ _aven't heard of th_ _at_ _before, I wonder what it is._

His words made Tendō's face fall. "Yeah, actually I shouldn't have told you that either. Please don't tell anyone that I told you."

"Why?" Daichi asked, but had a feeling that he knew what the answer would be. "Because I'm not supposed to know?"  _Because I'm a Southerner?_

"Because no one's supposed to know about it except the army," Tendō shook his head, "not even me. Seriously, I knew because I've… well… I tried to contact Wakatoshi-chan once while he and others were in the training facility, and I got images from him. At that time both of us hadn't been fully able to control our telepathic powers yet, so he accidentally sent me what he was seeing. That's how I knows which students have rare gifts."

"Wait a sec," Daichi frowned as he thought of something. "Does the Northern army used rare gifts as one of the reason to recruit some students early?"  _And if that's the reason, why didn't they recruit you,_  was the question Daichi didn't ask, but it seemed like Tendō heard it anyway.

"It's one of the reason," the beta replied, turning his attention back to the herbs he was rinsing. "I… well, I'm not interested in military, so I asked Wakatoshi-chan and the others who know not to tell anyone about it."

Daichi blinked, now confused. "Then… why did you tell me? I mean, if this information isn't forbidden by the army because you're not in it, but you just didn't want anyone to know…"

Tendō rolled his eyes at him as if Daichi had said the stupidest thing he could have said. "Because Kuroo trusts you. Also, I assume that he would want you to know about this, but the army has forbidden him and the other students from telling anyone about their gifts, so I decided to help him out a bit."

 _Kuroo trusts me?_  Daichi felt his stomach do those weird flips again but he had no idea what the reason was. Still, the knowledge that Kuroo trusted him did make Daichi smile.

Suddenly, Tendō froze in place like he was spacing out, and then he shouted, "They're almost here! Sawamura-kun, is the suppressant ready yet?"

"Almost!" Daichi replied, glancing down towards the potion he was stirring. "Get me two of those, and that root too, please."

"Here," Tendō grabbed all of them and handed them to Daichi along with the herbs he had been washing. "I'll go check the room." And then Tendō was out of the door. Yet, two seconds later, Tendō stuck his head back in. "Oh! And Kuroo is on his way here! He just took off from the Academy."

After that, Tendō was off toward the room they would have Kageyama stay in until his heat ended. Daichi turned back toward the nearly finished potion in front of him, telling himself that he would think about what Tendō had said later.

It didn't take long for the potion to be ready. Daichi quickly poured a portion of it into a glass before he walked out of the room. He was just in time to see Ushijima walking in through the front door with Kageyama in his arms.

"Kageyama!" Daichi ran toward both of them as Ushijima slowly set the younger male down. Kageyama's legs were shaking as he pressed himself against the alpha, panting. Daichi had to suppress a groan as he breathed in Kageyama's pheromones and Ushijima's scent. Daichi noted that the alpha's scent seemed to be stronger than usual – a natural reaction to omegas in heat.

"Kageyama-kun, let's go," Tendō was right beside him and wasn't afraid to pry Kageyama out of Ushijima's hold, since he wasn't affected by the alpha's pheromone much. "This way, that's it," the beta said with a smooth voice as he put one of Kageyama's arm on his shoulder and helped take the younger male's weight.

Ushijima took a deep breath and abruptly walked outside as soon as Tendō was able to take Kageyama away, white wings pressed tightly against his back.

"Sawamura-kun," Tendō called to him as he helped Kageyama up the stairs. "The room is the furthest one on the east wing!"

"Got it!" Daichi replied, hurrying back to get the potion before he followed Tendō upstairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll update the next chapter as soon as possible ^^


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

"How is he?"

Ushijima asked Daichi and Tendō as soon as they came downstairs and entered the kitchen. The alpha was back in the house, his wings pressed tightly against his back as he slowly sipped water from a glass in his hand. In Daichi's opinion, Ushijima was trying to distract himself rather than trying to fulfill his thirst.

"He's doing fine," Daichi replied, setting an empty glass down, "I gave him the suppressant. He's sleeping right now." He answers were as brief as possible, not because he didn't want to tell Ushijima the details, but because he was afraid of Ushijima snapping from too much detail. It was hard for alphas to resist omegas in heat, and it was even harder if they had images of what the in-heat omega looked like.

It took Ushijima several seconds to answer. "Good," the alpha said, his face still showing no emotion, "Thank you," the taller male added, draining the water in his hand and getting up to set the glass in the sink.

"Wakatoshi-chan," Tendō spoke, his eyes darting between Daichi and Ushijima, "I think Sawamura-kun should stay the night here." The beta didn't say why, but both Daichi and Ushijima already knew.

"I agree," Ushijima replied, taking a deep breath and heading toward the exit of the kitchen. "I'll tell the maid to show you to a room. Or…" the alpha suddenly stood still, frowning a bit before he smoothed his expression out and walked on, "you'll probably be rooming with Kuroo."

"Wait, what?" Daichi blinked, "Kuroo will be coming here?"

"Are you kidding me, Sawamura-kun?" Tendō exclaimed, chuckling as Daichi frowned at him. "Really? You… gahhh. You know what? You and Tobio-kun are more similar than I thought."

"What do you mean?" Daichi raised his eyebrows, but Tendō just giggled and waved him off.

"You'll figure it out someday," the beta shrugged, an amused grin on his face. "Well, let me show you around since Wakatoshi-chan still needs some time to himself and the owner of this manor, his cousin, is out of town and won't be back until Wednesday."

"Alright," Daichi nodded, following Tendō out of the kitchen.

 

 

The redhead beta took him on a brief tour around the manor. Daichi noted that Ushijima's manor was quite similar to Kuroo's, but with higher walls and many tall windows.

They were back at the kitchen and Tendō was in the middle of talking about the manor's library when the beta suddenly stiffened. His eyes widened as he stopped talking altogether.

"What is it?" Daichi asked, "Ushijima contacted you?"

"Yes," Tendō nodded, abruptly turning toward the exit. "Hurry, Sawamura-kun. Kuroo's arrived, but it seems like Tobio-kun has driven Wakatoshi-chan's instincts out of control more than we thought."

"What do you mean?" Daichi's asked as his blood ran cold. Actually, he understood what Tendō wanted to tell him. Alphas were territorial by nature, especially when there was an omega in heat in their territory. Any alpha entering their territory at that time would mean a disaster if both of them couldn't control their instincts well enough.

Kuroo was standing at the gate when Daichi and Tendō arrived at the front door, and his dark brown wings were raised. His expression was hard to read, but Daichi could see how tense Kuroo was. Ushijima was standing several meters away with his back toward them, wings also raised and body tensed up. Neither of them were baring their teeth yet, which gave both Daichi and Tendō a bit of relief.

"Kuroo?" Daichi called, stepping out of the manor. Kuroo's eyes turned toward him and the alpha growled, not at him, but at Ushijima, and the president of House Shiratorizawa growled back.

"Hey, calm down," Tendō immediately grabbed one of Ushijima's arms, drawing the alpha's attention away from Kuroo. It worked, and the beta gestured for Daichi to get to Kuroo as quickly as he could.

"Kuroo," Daichi called again, walking toward the black hair alpha. Kuroo's gaze turned toward him and Daichi shivered from how intensely Kuroo was looking at him.

 _It's like he's restraining himself from moving_ , Daichi thought.  _It's understandable though. Since I've spent_ _so much_ _time with him, it's possible_ _that_ _Kuroo see_ _s_ _me_ _part of his pack_ _. And seeing me in_ _an_ _other alpha's territory probably messed with his instinct to protect or something. That growl was to tell Ushijima to back away_ _,_  the omega decided as he looked up at Kuroo.

"Hey," he called to Kuroo again, trying to smile as if nothing had happened. "Are you okay?" he asked, wanting to distract Kuroo from Ushijima.

"I'm… I'm fine," Kuroo looked at him and sighed. "I… sorry. That shouldn't have happened," the taller male added, his wings lowering down and slowly furling back. "Sorry about that," he turned to shout at Ushijima.

"Me too," was the reply they got from the other alpha. Ushijima had already folded his wings back, so Daichi took that as a good sign. "I'll be in the back garden," the president of House Shiratorizawa continued. "You're free to stay."

With that, Ushijima turned and headed back into the manor, Tendō close behind him, chattering to distract Ushijima from the presence of another alpha in his territory.

"Kuroo…" Daichi turned to the man beside him. He was about to say that Kuroo could go back to his place and that Daichi was going to be okay, since it's clear that the alpha wasn't comfortable to be here.

"It's okay," yet, Kuroo cut him off before he could finish. "It's just… sorry. It's just a stupid instinct. Damnit." The alpha groaned, shaking his head. It was clear that Kuroo still hadn't calmed down, despite how much he wanted to.

Suddenly, Daichi had an idea how to help Kuroo. It was quite embarrassing, but it was the only thing Daichi could think of.

"Come here then," he sighed, telling himself that this was about helping Kuroo, before placing his left hand gently on the back of Kuroo's neck. Then, he slowly pushed Kuroo's head down until the alpha's face was placed against the junction between his neck and shoulder, right above his scent gland.

"What are you doing?" Kuroo gasped, and Daichi couldn't help the chill that ran down his spine. The alpha's voice was huskier than usual, and it was making Daichi's stomach do strange flips again.

"Um… it's said that an omega's scent can help calm an alpha down," Daichi replied, cheeks reddening as he felt Kuroo breathing in his scent, "so… um… since… I'm an omega, and you… you know… I… I just want to help."

Kuroo didn't reply to him vocally, but his hands gently placed themselves on Daichi's hips before the omega was pulled into a tight hug. Despite Daichi's fear of Kuroo touching his restrained wings and picking up that there was something wrong with Daichi's back, only Kuroo's arms touched his back; the alpha's hands were on both sides of his hip.

"You're going to be the death of me, but thank you anyways." Kuroo groaned after a while, nuzzling his nose against the base of Daichi's neck as he inhaled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Daichi chuckled, trying to pretend that his cheeks weren't red and that his heart hadn't kicked up. However, he couldn't deny that Kuroo's arms around him made him feel good, but he would never admit that out loud.

They stayed like that for a while, Daichi standing still with one hand on the back of Kuroo's neck and the other hand patting the alpha's back and Kuroo hugging Daichi while his nose was pressed against the omega's neck.

"You'll be staying?" Daichi whispered after Kuroo seemed to calm down a bit. Then, he noticed that Kuroo had a small bag with him. No, it's Daichi's bag.

"Yup, I've picked up some clothes on the way here. Hope you don't mind me putting my clothes in your bag," came the muffled reply. Kuroo sighed as he pressed them even closer to each other. His face was still buried in the crook of Daichi's neck.

"What about the others?" Daichi asked, patting Kuroo's shoulder softly, "Lev, Bokuto, and rest that are staying at your place tonight?"

"This isn't the first time Bokuto's stayed there, he can take care of them," Kuroo replied. "I've told Kenma that he'll have to take care of Lev alone, and he's not very happy about it," the alpha chuckled, and Daichi couldn't help but smile.

However, it started to rain before either of them could continue. Daichi gestured toward the entrance of the building, and Kuroo sighed before he let go of Daichi and let the omega pull him to the house.

Tendō was already waiting for them when they entered. The redhead informed them that both of they could use the living room until their room upstairs was ready. Both of them nodded in silence and the beta smiled before he went to check on Ushijima.

Kuroo pulled Daichi down to the couch with him and stuffed his face against Daichi's neck again. Daichi's bag was shrugged down to the floor beside them. The omega yelped at the sudden movement but didn't protest. The only thing that made Daichi uncomfortable was that he was straddling Kuroo's lap and the alpha's arms were around his waist.

"Kuroo…" he called, patting Kuroo's shoulder to get the alpha's attention.

"Yes?" Kuroo looked up and pulled his face away from Daichi's neck a bit. In this position, their faces were so close to each other that it made Daichi blush uncontrollably.

"Um…" Daichi, stuttering, didn't know how to tell Kuroo that their position was quite suggestive, so he decided to approach it in a roundabout way. "Kuroo, let's change positions. I don't want your legs to get numb."

"Ngh, I'm okay with this position," Kuroo replied to him with a smug grin which somehow made Daichi blush more rather than irritate him. "Besides, you're not that heavy."

"But…" Daichi opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out as Kuroo pressed his nose against that junction and inhaled deeply. Then, a rumble came from deep inside the alpha's chest, and it made Daichi's stomach do those strange flips again.

"Please," Kuroo said, his voice a bit husky and half muffled, "let me stay like this for a while."

Daichi gulped. Kuroo rarely pleaded with anyone. In the end, Daichi decided to let the alpha be and focus on patting Kuroo's shoulder instead.

 

 

It took a while until Kuroo loosened his hold on Daichi's waist. Daichi took that as a sign to gently pry himself away from the alpha, but Kuroo tightened his embrace as soon as Daichi moved.

"Please," the alpha pulled his face out from the crook of Daichi neck, hazel eyes shined gold under the soft candle lights, "stay."

"Okay," Daichi nodded, sighing as he looked out of the window. He noted that it was still raining.

Neither of them said anything, and it was starting to make Daichi feel uncomfortable when he started to think about what Tendō had told him. He wanted to ask Kuroo many things, especially about Kuroo's gifts. Yet, he wasn't sure if he could ask since he wasn't supposed to know about it.

 _W_ _hat I want to ask him is 'having you been reading my mind_ _,_ _' but I have no idea how to say it without sounding rude_ , Daichi frowned slightly as this thought entered his mind. Ever since Tendō had told him about Kuroo's gifts, Daichi found himself worrying about it despite how much he tried not to think about it. The encounter between Kuroo and Ushijima helped pry him away from his thoughts, for which he was thankful. Yet, with Kuroo calming down, Daichi found himself going back to thinking about the information again.

"Do you have something on your mind?" Kuroo suddenly asked. His voice was smooth and held no emotion, and it made Daichi jump. "Tendō admitted to me that he told you about my gifts."

"He told you?" Daichi blinked, turning to look at Kuroo and was met with a pair of unreadable hazel eyes. "When? I didn't see you two talking... Wait. Did you talk… telepathically?"

"Yes, he contacted me as soon as he sensed that I'd calmed down. His telepathic power is the strongest among us, or at least among the students with telepathic gifts," Kuroo replied, his eyes never leaving Daichi's. "And he's right that no one other than the army is supposed to know."

Daichi nodded at Kuroo's words. He pondered how he should ask it, but he still couldn't find the right words. However, Kuroo suddenly sighed, and Daichi had a feeling that the alpha had already figured it out.

"You're thinking that I've been reading your thoughts, right?"

The question startled Daichi, but he managed to keep calm. "Yes," he replied, shrugging as he added, "you seem to know a lot of things about me. It's… sometimes it's like you're reading my mind. And when Tendō told me that you're telepathic, I couldn't help but wonder if you were doing exactly that."

"I don't blame you," Kuroo shook his head, his eyes softening. "I know I'm not the most trustworthy person on earth and that words alone can't prove anything…"

"It's… it's not like that," Daichi stuttered, placing one hand on Kuroo's forearm. "Tendō told me that you asked Akaashi to put a Forbidden Charm on you, so you can't use your power unless the person you contact has telepathic powers, too. I believe him. And I believe that you wouldn't do something like that," he pretended to smile, trying to lighten the situation. It was true that Daichi was suspicious of Kuroo reading his mind, but at the same time he felt guilty for being suspicious. The alpha might love to tease him to no end, but he had never tried to control Daichi.

 _What if all of this is just a lie?_  A voice in his head spoke up.  _You know, words can_ _'t_ _prove anything._

 _But he_ _'s_ _never…_

 _You'_ _v_ _e only_ _been_ _here a_ _little over a_ _month!_

"I don't mind taking a truth potion," the alpha suddenly said, pulling Daichi away from his train of thought. "You can make it, right? Let's use that on me before you ask me anything."

"Wait… what do you mean?" Daichi gaped. "A truth potion?"

"Yes. You can make that, right?" Kuroo nodded, speaking nonchalantly, as if drinking a truth potion was something he did every day. "If I remember correctly, one dose of truth potion only takes an hour to make. Ushijima won't mind if we want to use some of the herbs."

"I can, but only the simplest truth potion," Daichi replied, frowning. "Kuroo, you don't have to-"

"No, I have to," Kuroo cut him off, placing one of his hands on Daichi's cheek – drawing the omega's eyes to him. "I want you to be able to trust me. I know the situation. I'm a Northerner, you're a Southerner; we're political enemies or whatever those fuckers in the Council say. But I want none of that shit. I want to be with you without us having thoughts like 'Is he going to betray me?', 'Is he a spy?', 'Is he kind to me because I'm still useful?', 'Will he stab me in the back someday?' etc. I want none of that."

Daichi was dumbfounded after Kuroo finished. His stomach was flipping and the warmness in his chest kept spreading. Daichi felt like he was going to cry but didn't know why.

 _I've never felt so warm…_  Daichi thought, blinking as his vision suddenly became blurry. A strange feeling bloomed in his chest, but Daichi had no idea what it was.  _Why do I feel so warm now? Why_ _does_ _Kuroo ma_ _k_ _e me feel so warm? My goodness, what_ _'s_ _happen_ _ing_ _?_

"Sawamura," Kuroo called to him, and his voice sounded urgent. Daichi blinked again and realized that there were tears running down his cheeks. "Sawamura… are you okay? Did I say something wrong? Sawamura-"

"No, I…" Daichi shook his head, realizing that one of Kuroo's hands was still on his cheek, his thumb slowly wiping the tears away. "It's just… no one has ever said something like that to me before. No one has ever… has ever…" he gasped, more tears running down his cheeks, unable to finish the sentence. "…honestly, I don't know why I'm crying… shit… this is so… so confusing." Daichi shook his head, chuckling and trying to smile despite the tears that kept running down.

' _No one ha_ _s_ _ever put this much_ _e_ _ffor_ _t_ _in_ _to make me feel comfortable and safe before. No one ha_ _s_ _ever cared about me this much_ _,_ _'_  was what he wanted to say, but it seemed like Daichi didn't need to say it; he had a feeling Kuroo understood.

"Come on," the alpha whispered, his voice soft as he gently wiped the tears away. "Let's go. Even of you don't want to use it, please, do this for me. I want to make sure that you know I can be trusted. Please."

"Okay, okay," Daichi nodded, sighing as he finally agreed. "I'll make it. Shit, Kuroo, I had no idea that you…" he gulped, trying to find suitable words as he looked into hazel eyes. "…that you cared about this so much."

"You have no idea…" Kuroo mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. Daichi didn't catch the rest of what Kuroo said, but the alpha changed the subject before he could ask Kuroo to repeat it. "So! Since we're on the same page, shall we?"

"Okay," Daichi nodded, standing up and blushing deeply when he realized that he had been sitting in Kuroo's lap the whole time.

They walked side by side to the potion room. Daichi noted that Kuroo seemed to know the place well enough that he knew where to turn left or right.

"Have you been here before?" Daichi asked as Kuroo leaded him down another corridor.

"I have," Kuroo nodded, his eyes appeared gold under the light from the candles on the wall. Outside, it was still raining. "This way," he pushed Daichi's shoulder gently to make the omega turn to the left.

"But the potion room is the other way," Daichi exclaimed, pointing to the right.

"We're taking a detour," Kuroo replied, shrugging as he walked. "The library is that way, and Ushiwaka is in there. He hasn't calmed down enough. Honestly, if we hadn't known each other for quite some time, he'd definitely have chased me out."

"I see," Daichi nodded. "He… I've never seen him like this before. Usually he appears emotionless, like he's interested in nothing. I never thought that he could be this territorial."

"He has a high endurance for many things," Kuroo said, his voice sounding a bit off. Again, Daichi had a feeling that the alpha wasn't just talking about Ushijima. "But with an omega in heat under his care, especially an omega he's courting, it's natural that he'd snap."

"But you two didn't jump each other," Daichi pointed out. "I have to say that it turned out well."

"Thanks to you," Kuroo added, his voice dropped an octave as he continued, "Thank you, Sawamura."

"No need to," Daichi tried to wave it off, cheeks blushing slightly. "Also, you have Tendō to thank, too! Without him, I wouldn't have known what to do."

"I will," Kuroo nodded, large hand pushing the door in front of them open. They were now back in the potion room.

Daichi followed Kuroo inside. He gathered the ingredients he needed as Kuroo lit the fire on the stove with a wave of his hand. Daich felt a bit jealous at that.

They talked about nothing in particular as Daichi made the potion. Kuroo told him that he had attended basic potions class, so he knew about the general potions used in daily life, some medical potions, and the potions used in the military. Kuroo could make a simple potion for relieving a sore throat or a simple headache, but that's all he could do.

"I'm planning on taking another potions class next semester if I have time," the alpha added, waving for the ladle to keep stirring the potion automatically as Daichi tried to stir it with one hand and reach for another herb with the other.

"If possible, I want to take a magic class," Daichi said as he looked at the ladle stirring the potion in the pot. "Seriously, this is very useful."

They talked more about the Academy. Kuroo told him about the other classes he was in. The alpha complained about politics class, and Daichi snorted at how exasperated Kuroo sounded as he told Daichi about how he hated the subject.

As the potion was finishing up, Daichi remembered something he had wanted to ask Kuroo about.

"Kuroo"

"Yes?"

"What's a Shadow-Walker?" he asked, turning toward the alpha, who was perched on an empty counter.  _Seriously, he always sit_ _s_ _on table_ _s_ _or any_ _other_ _flat surface_ _that_ _isn't_ _meant_ _for sitting._

"Tendō told you about that, too?" Kuroo raised his eyebrows. "Well, Shadow-Walkers are people who can travel through shadows, with three conditions. One, there must be a shadow they can travel to. Two, they must know where they're going. Three, they can't travel through their own shadow."

"Can you… show me?" Daichi wasn't sure what prompted him to ask, but he really wanted to see it.

"Sure," Kuroo shrugged, but on his face was his trademark grin. The alpha slid down from the counter and moved toward the shadow of a nearby table. And as soon as he stepped on the shadow, it was like the shadow had sucked him in.

Daichi knew that he was gaping as he watched Kuroo disappear into the blackness. Then, as soon as Kuroo disappeared, a pair of hand touched his hip with a familiar whisper against his ear. "Gotcha."

"Ekk!" Daichi jumped and turned around. Kuroo was standing behind him with a smug grin on his face. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" He yelled, hitting the alpha on the forearm. Daichi had lost count of how many time he had blushed today.

"But you wanted to see it," Kuroo's grin only widened and the alpha made no move to step away. Daichi wasn't sure if he had imaged it, but there was something in his voice that made Daichi think of a predator cornering its prey.

Despite the close proximity and that their faces were just inches apart from each other, Kuroo didn't move away. "This is what a Shadow-Walker can do," he whispered, his hands caressing Daichi's hips. "And this is probably one of the reasons I was recruited early."

"I can image that…" Daichi gulped, feeling the table behind him dig into his lower back as he tried to move backward, only to have Kuroo press into him more. "It's quite useful when you want to go somewhere."

"It's not just that," Kuroo replied, his voice a bit hoarse and barely louder than a whisper. "It makes assassinations a piece of cake."

"I see," the omega nodded, still trying to back away as Kuroo kept moving forward. Their bodies were plastered together now, only their faces and arms apart. "Kuroo…?" Daichi asked, looking away from the intense golden eyes. He had no idea when Kuroo's eyes became gold in the dark. "Kuroo… you…" the omega looked around, trying to find a distraction because right now his heart was pounding so hard he was afraid he might have a heart attack. In the end, his eyes spotted the pot and he looked at the time.

"Stop the stirring!" Daichi didn't intend to yell, but it came out as one. The alpha blinked, as if he had just realized what he was doing before backing away like nothing had happened.

"Sorry," Kuroo said, waving his hand and the ladle stopped. "I got carried away."

 _Carried away?_  Daichi blinked as he watched Kuroo go back to perching on the empty counter.  _Hm, whatever._

In the end, Daichi decided not to think about what just happened and went back to making the potion. They still talked, but Kuroo didn't make a move to get up from the counter.

 

 

"So, are you ready?"

"I'm ready," Kuroo nodded, grinning as he took the glass from Daichi. "Hey, this isn't the end of the world. No need to make that face."

"I'm not making any faces," Daichi mumbled even that he's still frowning in concern. "You're the one talking like taking a truth potion is an everyday occurrence for you."

"Fair enough," Kuroo shrugged, ready to drown the content in the glass when Daichi grabbed his wrist. "What?"

"Are you sure?" Daichi asked, biting his lower lip. "I mean, do we really have to do this?"

"I have to," Kuroo replied, his voice softening as he gently pried Daichi's hand off his wrist. However, he didn't let go, but used his free hand to hold the omega's hand instead. "I need this. It's going to be okay."

"Now it's even more awkward when you're the one taking the potion." Daichi rolled his eyes, sighing. "Okay, the potion lasts for 30 minutes, and it only works with yes or no questions," he said, more to remind himself than Kuroo. Daichi looked up at the alpha and tried to smile, telling the alpha that he's ready.

Seeing that Daichi was okay with this, Kuroo nodded and drowned the glass in one go. After that he set the glass down and sat back, closing his eyes as they waited a few seconds for the potion to kick in. His hand never left Daichi's.

"Let's test it," Kuroo said, "you ask about something that's obvious. I'll see if I can lie about it."

"Okay," Daichi nodded. "Is your hair black?"

Kuroo opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The alpha frowned, trying to speak again only to close his mouth and sigh. "Yes. Okay, I think we're ready. Ask me anything you want to know." His hand gently squeezed Daichi's.

"Okay," Daichi took a deep breath, it was now or never. "Have you been reading my thoughts with your gift?"

"No."

"Were you ordered to keep an eye on me?"

"No."

"Have you… have you ever lied to me?"

The look in Kuroo's eyes was so intense. Daichi had a feeling that there was something going on in Kuroo's head, but this happened within a split second before Kuroo firmly answered, "no."

"Those soldiers at the festival, do you outrank them?"

Kuroo's eyes hardened when Daichi mentioned those soldiers, but his voice was firm and calm when he spoke. "Yes."

"Are you… a captain? I've heard Lev calling you that."

"Yes."

"Was your gifts the main reason the Northern army recruit you early?"

"No," Kuroo's frowned a bit at the question, but he still answered it without hesitation.

 _No?_  Daichi blinked.  _So… Kuroo wasn't accepted early because of his gift_ _s_ _. Does this mean he has something even more valuable to the army than his gifts?_

"Are you allowed to tell me the exact reasons the army recruited you early?"

"No."

"So… I think that's all of it?" Daichi shrugged. He could think of nothing more he wanted to ask Kuroo.

"All of it?" Kuroo titled his head. "Are you sure?"

"I…" Daichi frowned. He leaned back and tried to think of anything he wanted to know about Kuroo, but he couldn't think of anything.

 _"Then… why did you tell me? I mean, if this information isn't forbidden by the army because you're not in it,_ _and_ _you just didn't want anyone to know…"_

_"Because Kuroo trusts you. Also, I assume that he would want you to know about this…"_

The conversation between him and the redhead beta came back to him. Daichi blinked. Now he knew what he wanted to ask.

"Kuroo," he spoke, gulping as he tried to steady his voice, "do you trust me?"

Kuroo's eyes softened at this question. A sincere smile appeared on his face.

"Yes," the alpha nodded.

"Do… you want me to know about your gifts? And…if the army didn't forbid you from telling anyone about your gifts, would you have told me about them?"

"Yes, and yes." The answer came out quickly, still without hesitation.

Daichi didn't know how to describe how he felt after Kuroo answered him. He felt his eyes water a bit and his chest tighten from the overwhelming warmth. All he could do was offer Kuroo his best smile.

"Thank you," he almost whispered, and Kuroo smiled back as the alpha gently squeezed his hand.

"No, it's me who should be thanking you. Thank you, Sawamura."

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My next semester is about to start, so it may take me a while until the next chapter. But I'll do my best to update it as soon as possible ^^


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

**A month and three weeks after the firework** **s** **festival.**

 

"Sawamura-kun!"

"Tendō?"

Daichi turned to his left. He, Sugawara, and Asahi were about to enter the library when the redhead beta from House Shiratorizawa called him.

"Has Kuroo told you about the First Semester Competition yet?" Tendō asked them, raising his eyebrows when he saw where they were about to enter. "Jeeze! It's only two weeks after the midterms. You're going to start studying for finals now? Man, you guys are demons!"

"The First Semester Competition?" Daichi blinked. "What's that? And no, we're not studying for final yet. We just need some information for our group project in herbal medicine class."

"Well then, go to the common practice yard after you're done!" Tendō grinned, waving his hand as he walked on.

"The competition?" Daichi turned toward Asahi and Suga. "Have you guys heard anything about it?"

"I have," Sugawara replied as they entered the library. "Nakashima-kun described it as students from combat class forming teams and battling each other. It's held every semester, but in the first semester students are free to form their teams with anyone, while in the second semester it's each House battling each other."

"Do you know when the competition'll start?" Asahi asked, pulling a book off the shelf.

"In one week," Sugawara replied. "And it'll be finished within a week."

"I see," Daichi nodded, pulling out another book. "Well, I guess I better go check the common practice yard after this."

They picked several books out and settled down on a table nearby to work on their project. It wasn't due until next week, but Daichi and his friends wanted to finish it as soon as possible.

After the fireworks festival, Tendō helped Kageyama back to the Academy while Ushijima flew after them, keeping his distance. Kuroo took Daichi back to the Academy and disappeared for the whole day. He went with a stern expression on his face, but Daichi didn't ask the alpha what happened. Moreover, Bokuto didn't seem to be surprised when he asked Daichi about Kuroo and Daichi had no idea where the alpha had gone.

Kuroo got back in the evening exhausted, but seemed to be satisfied with something. Daichi decided not to ask.

Several weeks after the festival was midterm exams. Daichi found himself buried with even more work and things to learn before the exam, and Kuroo wasn't different from him. He saw the alpha less as Kuroo had both studying and practices to do. Sometimes the alpha spent the whole evening at the practice yard. On those days, Daichi made sure to sneak some food from the cafeteria back at the dorm and leave it on Kuroo's desk.

The first day Daichi snuck dinner back to the dorm for Kuroo, the alpha pulled him into a tight hug as soon as he realized what Daichi had done. It startled Daichi at first, but then he got used to it. After that day, Kuroo always hugged him or at least nuzzled him every time Daichi got him dinner. The omega tried to dodge the alpha at first, before he ended up letting Kuroo do whatever he wanted.

 

 

It didn't take long for them to finish the project. Daichi looked at the clock and saw that he still had thirty minutes before dinner.

He asked if Sugawara and Asahi wanted to go with him but both of them declined. Asahi had a date with Nishinoya while Sugawara's dorm had a meeting before dinner, so, they all agreed to meet again tomorrow.

The Royal Academy had six practice yards, but the common practice yard was the biggest. It was located between one of the main school buildings and the east cafeteria, and it didn't take long for Daichi to get there.

Daichi noticed the change as soon as he was near the yard. Normally only students in combat classes visited it, but right now it was packed with both students from combat classes and non-combat class students. Row after row of students circled the yard, and there was some cheering going on too.

"Oh, you made it!"

Daichi wasn't surprised that he saw Tendō standing with some students from House Shiratorizawa. The beta flapped his wings excitedly before he gestured for Daichi to get closer. "Here, here, you're on time for the best part!"

"What part?" Daichi frowned, but moved to stand beside Tendō nonetheless. As soon as he turned toward the yard, he understood.

In the yard, there were students sparring in groups, bare-handed, wings pressed tightly to their backs. The group closet to them was Kuroo, Bokuto, and Lev going against Ushijima, Iwaizumi, and Goshiki. Both Goshiki and Lev seemed to be a bit overwhelmed by whatever was happening around them while Bokuto was obviously having fun. Judging from the sweat and dirt on their bodies, Daichi guessed that this was not the first match the students had participated.

 _Kuroo looks good in_ _a_ _sleeveless shirt, especially_ _a_ _black sleeveless shirt,_  one voice in his head spoke up. It sounded almost dreamy.

 _Agree_ _d_ _, look at his arms,_  another voice jumped in, and Daichi felt his cheeks warm up a bit as he took in Kuroo's physique. The alpha was wearing his usual training clothes – a simple black sleeveless shirt, black pants, and a pair of old combat boots. Daich had no idea why he found Kuroo so attractive.

_Wait… I find him attractive?_

_Yeah, he totally is!_

_Shit…_  the omega gulped, because despite how much he wanted to enjoy himself, he knew that this wasn't supposed to happen.  _This is not good. Kuroo won't approve of me thinking of him like this._

"It's a practice tournament," Tendō spoke up, pulling Daichi away from his train of thoughts. The beta's eyes were sparkling with excitement. "They roughly grouped up and went against each other. Now it's the semifinals."

"Oh," Daichi nodded, his eyes never leaving the yard. It was hard to tell between the first years who had an advantage since both of them were too tense. However, for the third years, it was clear that Bokuto was an expert at enjoying himself while fighting and riling Iwaizumi up.

"Iwaizumi teamed up with Ushijima?" Daichi mused; he had heard a lot about how much Oikawa and Iwaizumi disliked Ushijima. "Am I dreaming? Is Iwaizumi sick? How can Oikawa allow this?" he had to force himself not to laugh as he asked Tendō.

"I'm sure he's sulking about this somewhere," Tendō laughed, his grin widening. "Well, they're only roughly grouped up, so Iwaizumi somehow ended up on Ushijima's team. And they might be defeated in this round since Iwaizumi and Wakatoshi-chan can barely sync with each other."

True to Tendō's word, it wasn't long before Kuroo's team claimed the victory. Goshiki immediately apologized to both third years, and Ushijima just shrugged and told him that it was reasonable that they lost since both third years could barely work with each other. Iwaizumi just rolled his eyes and stormed away toward the extremely-salty Oikawa.

 

After a ten minutes break, the final round was fought. Despite the popular belief that the final round was the longest and most exciting one, the match ended quickly in Kuroo's team winning because both teams were exhausted.

"Oh, you're here?"

Kuroo seemed surprised to see Daichi. The omega shrugged, trying not to stare at Kuroo's bare arms.

"Yeah, Tendō suggested I should come," he replied, trying hard to avert his eyes as the alpha was wiping the sweat from his skin with a small black towel. "Congratulations, though."

"Thanks," Kuroo smiled. "But I have to say that today's victory came easy because Iwaizumi can't sync well with those Shiratorizawa geniuses."

"But he did sync with them better than Oikawa would," Daichi pointed out, chuckling as he gesturing toward the sulking beta brunet not so far away. "Besides, this win gave Lev confidence for the future tournament."

"Of course," Kuroo nodded, his mouth curved into his usual grin as his eyes were filled with amusement. "But perhaps too much confidence…?" the alpha trailed off as he pointed to his right. Daichi followed his finger and almost giggled as he saw Yaku yelling at the too overjoyed Lev, kicking the younger Nekoma student.

"…Perhaps too much," Daichi nodded, sighing as he watched Yamamoto and Tanaka trying to stop Yaku from murdering the still too loud and energetic Lev. He then turned back to Kuroo and noticed that the alpha seemed to be standing closer to him. His broad brown wings were spread out a bit and waving a little. Daichi guessed that Kuroo was probably still cooling down. After spending so much time together, Daichi was used to Kuroo flaunting his wings every time he was around. And since no one had a problem with this cocky alpha showing off so much, Daichi decided to let Kuroo be.

"By the way, Sawamura-kun," Kuroo spoke up, slinging one of his arm around Daichi's shoulders. "You're free Friday evening and this weekend, right?"

"Yeah?" Daichi looked up at Kuroo, a small smile on his face. "I've finished all my homework, what are you up to this time?" he asked, pretending to be scolding the alpha, but didn't shrug the arm on his shoulders off. To be honest, Daichi quite loved the way Kuroo was so touchy-feely with him.

"You talk like I've done something I shouldn't have, which I haven't," Kuroo pretended to pout, which Daichi decided that was half cute and half annoying. "A short training camp for the tournament. A lodge in the woods, two hours on horse and one hour if you fly, but I can make it in forty-five minutes. Bokuto's idea. Ushijima, Tendō, and others are going - including your junior."

"Kageyama?"

"Yes," Kuroo nodded, "from what I've heard, he's doing pretty well in the class."

"He said that he's getting the hang of it," Daichi said, a soft smile appearing on his face. It was hard not to smile when he thought of how determined Kageyama was when he wanted to be good at something. "But… I'm not in combat class," Daichi continued, turning to raise his eyebrows at Kuroo.

"Well, you know, we tend to be reckless and sometimes get hurt. We need a healer," Kuroo continued on, his voice was smooth, and there was a grin plastered on his face. "So, please…?" the alpha trailed off, hazel eyes glittering under the late afternoon light, and Daichi found himself unable to say no.

"I didn't say that I won't go," Daichi sighed, shaking his head. He had a feeling that Kuroo already knew he wasn't going to decline, unless they had to sleep outdoors. "So, do I need to pack any potions or prepare the ingredients?"

"You don't have to," Kuroo's grin widened. "The lodge has everything you need. Actually, it belongs to the Yaku family. And after an hour of Bokuto chattering his ears off, our dear vice-president decided that it was for the best if we stayed at the lodge during our lovely mini-training camp."

 _Of yeah, Bokuto again,_  Daichi laughed, already imaging the face Yaku made while Bokuto wouldn't stop talking to him. Daichi decided to add Akaashi with an exhausted expression on his face into the image, too.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Daichi waited until Kuroo was in the shower that night before he sneaked out of their shared room.

Weeks ago, Daichi had found a perfect way to dispose of his feathers. There was a furnace not far from the Nekoma dormitory for burning garbage. It was operated by magic and was on fire every Wednesday night. So, Daichi had to wait until Kuroo was in the shower, and then he snuck out to dispose of his feathers.

His heart was hammering in his chest as Daichi stuck to the shadows on his way to the furnace. There weren't many students around at this time of night, but he couldn't be too careful.

 _Almost there, almost there,_  the omega thought as he zigzagged under the shadows created by the trees. The furnace was just ahead of him now, and there was no one around.

Daichi sighed,  _almost there_. The omega was about to step out of the shadows when he suddenly felt like he was being watched. He froze in place, one foot off the ground. His grip on the pouch tightened.

But nothing happened. The wind was still and everything looked the same. Daichi stood still for several more seconds before he decided that he needed to get rid of the feathers before Kuroo was out of the bathroom.

Quickly, Daichi jogged toward the furnace. The lid was hard to open but Daichi managed, and he quickly poured everything in the pouch into the fire. After that, he quickly closed the lid and made his way back to the dorm.

 

Kuroo was still in the bathroom when Daichi entered their treehouse, and the omega sighed in relief. He knew that sneaking out, especially with Kuroo around, was pretty risky, but he had no other choice. He couldn't just dump his feathers somewhere without someone getting suspicious. Since this was his third success in disposing of his feathers, Daichi guessed that maybe this way wasn't so bad at all.

Unknown to Daichi, this was the third time Kuroo had shadow-walked out of their shared bathroom.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Yaku's family lodge was very impressive, in Daichi's opinion. He had never seen a lodge liked this in his home country. The lodge was built from wood and rocks and had four floors. In front of it was a large green field perfect for practicing, while in the back of the lodge were the woods and a large stream.

 _These guys are unbelievable_ , Daichi thought as he untangled himself from Kuroo. Like the last time, Kuroo wanted to carry him here. 'It's for training!' the alpha had said, and Daichi couldn't find any strength to deny. So, he let Kuroo fly both of them from the academy to Yaku's place.

"Our room is upstairs," Kuroo said as he led Daichi into the lodge. "I know the best guestroom. Quick, before anyone takes it."

Daichi found he didn't mind as Kuroo grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the stairs. They went up to the third floor quickly and proceeded down the corridor on the right. He noted that Kuroo seemed to be quite energetic today.

In the end, they stopped at the room at the end of the corridor. "This is it," Kuroo smiled and announced, pushing the door open and walking in. It wasn't until Daichi was inside the room and the door was shut that the taller male let go of his hand.

The room, like the rest of the lodge, was well-decorated and large. One side of the room was devoted to giant windows with green curtains with two fluffy green armchairs – perfect for watching the stars and admiring the sun making its way over the horizon. Seeing this side of the room alone was enough to explain while Kuroo wanted this room so much.

"The bathroom is that way," Kuroo said, pointing toward a wooden door near the wardrobe. "Dinner's served at six-thirty, so we have some time if you want to nap," he added, dropping their bags at the end of the bed.

"Got it," Daichi nodded, walking to stand in front of the windows, admiring the view of the lush green field and the beautiful sky. However, as soon as he turned around, he realized that there was something he should be worried about.

The room only had one bed. It was a king-size bed with a green cover and four light-green pillows. And now Kuroo was stretching on it like a cat – showing off his perfect muscles and wings.

"What?" As if knowing that he was being stared at, Kuroo opened his eyes. His lips curved up into a smug grin, and Daichi would be lying if he said that those half-lidded hazel eyes and that grin didn't make him blush fiercely.

"Nothing," Daichi replied, turning back to stare at the view. He told himself that the bed was big enough for two; even with Kuroo stretching liked this there was still room.

 _No one is going to talk about a male alpha and a male beta sharing a bed,_  Daichi tried to reassure himself.

 _But you are an omega!_  Another voice interjected. Daichi could hear the frown in it.

 _But a male omega is physically like a male beta when we're not in heat,_  another voice spoke up.  _It's going to be fine. Nothing is going to happen. Kuroo knows I'm an omega and he doesn't seem to care much about it! Why worry?_

"Oi, Sawamura!" Kuroo's voice drew Daichi's attention back to him. "Do you want to tour the lodge? If not, I'm going to take a nap."

 _He's a cat. One minute he's so energetic,_ _the next_ _he's sleepy,_  Daichi thought, shaking his head. "It's okay, I'm sure Yaku won't mind if I want to walk around."

"But I'll…" Kuroo mumbled, looking out of the windows to the beautiful view ahead. Daichi frowned, as he wasn't sure what Kuroo had said.

"What? Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"Nothing," Kuroo shrugged. "It's just that Bokuto had invited those energetic people from Johzenji. They can be pretty annoying."

"And what does that have to do with me?" Daichi blinked, confused. "They're pretty fun to be around," he added, thinking about the times he met Nishinoya and his friends from Johzenji – Terushima, Bobata, Numajiri, and others. The most energetic one was Terushima, and the blond was also the vice-president despite being a second-year student, so Daichi guessed that he must be special in some way.

Daichi had spent time with Terushima when he was out with Nishinoya and Asahi. He had to admit that Terushima and his friends could be quite annoying with how energetic they were. 'These guys give me a heart-attack every day' was what Asahi had complained to him before. And judging from how sensitive Asahi could be and how wild these students from House Johzenji were, Daichi wasn't surprised.

"Really?" Kuroo narrowed his eyes lazily. "Do you know that Terushima-kun's been hitting on you?"

 _Terushima?_  Daichi's jaw almost hit the ground. "What? Are you serious?"

"I'm not surprised you didn't pick up that he's always flirting with you," Kuroo rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Really, Sawamura-kun, you're such a heart-breaker."

"I'm not!" Daichi gulped, letting himself fall onto the armchair. "Seriously? I've never noticed. And how did  _you_  know? You've barely spent time with them."

Kuroo looked at Daichi with some sort of exhaustion mixed with amusement on his face. "I've known since the first time we spent time with them. But like I told you, I'm not surprised. You're the densest person I've ever met." The alpha chuckled and Daichi's cheeks heated up.

"I'm not!" Daichi groaned, pushing himself up and starting to pace around. "Really? Shit, what should I do? How long has he been… flirting?"

"Since he first saw you…" Kuroo rolled his eyes. Daichi had a feeling that the alpha was talking about something else besides Terushima, but he was too distracted to figure it out.

"Really? My goodness," Daichi sighed, flopping down on the bed beside Kuroo. "What should I do, seriously?"

"Nothing," Kuroo shrugged, moving to put his head on Daichi's stomach. The action made Daichi's heart skip a beat, but he didn't have time to worry about the alpha's head resting on him. "Act like you normally do. I doubt you'll even pick up on when he's flirting."

"…Are you sure?"

"Yes," Kuroo replied, closing his eyes. "Now, let me rest."

"There are four pillows on this bed," Daichi said, raising his eyebrows at the alpha, "and my stomach isn't that comfortable."

"Nghh," was the only response Daichi got. Somehow, he wasn't able to push Kuroo away. In the end, Daichi ended up napping with Kuroo using his stomach as a pillow.

 

 

Dinner arrived quickly. Daichi was still a bit sleepy when he followed Kuroo downstairs to the dining room. Bokuto waved for them from one of the tables. Goshiki and Shirabu were already there, but the rest of the students from House Shiratorizawa weren't there yet, same as those from House Johzenji.

Like every time they sat together, Bokuto and Kuroo did the talking while Daichi and Akaashi enjoyed the peace. Yaku was complaining about something to Yamamoto, probably Lev. And Lev, the energetic first year, had decided to sit with other first years, making Yaku both relieved and irritated.

"Lev is courting Yaku," Kuroo whispered to him after Daichi quietly voiced his curiosity to the alpha.

"I had no idea!" Daichi's jaw almost hit the ground while Kuroo just laughed.

"Yeah, I figured."

"What?"

"Nothing," Kuroo shrugged, laughing again. When Bokuto turned to ask what the he was laughing at, Kuroo waved him off and started talking about something else, drawing Bokuto's attention away.

"Bokuto-san'd have shouted about it if he found out," Akaashi whispered to him, using the time while Kuroo was distracting the energetic alpha. "And Yaku'd probably kick us out of the lodge."

"Agreed"

 

 

"So… how are we going to sleep?" Daichi asked, trying to sound normal as he looked at the bed in front of him. He and Kuroo had both showered and there was nothing to do but sleep. Daichi had told himself that it was going to be okay, but in the end, he couldn't help being nervous.

"What do you mean?" Kuroo asked from where he was perched with a book in his hand. He didn't even look up.

"Exactly what I said," Daichi rolled his eyes at the alpha sitting on the small coffee table between the armchairs.

"How are we going to sleep?" the hazel eyes turned to Daichi before Kuroo gestured toward the bed. "We'll lay down there and close our eyes."

"No! I mean…" Daichi sighed, feeling like smacking the alpha upside the head. "I'm an omega and you're an alpha. Should we put something between us? Like a pillow-"

Kuroo sighed and abruptly shut the book in his hand, his eyes filled with amusement and mischief. "Seriously Sawamura-kun? Are you scared of me?" he asked teasingly as his lips curved up into a grin.

"No!" Daichi was quick to deny that. "But…" he tried to continue, but suddenly he found that he couldn't. Daichi gulped. He had never shared a bed with anyone before and he had no idea how it would go or what to expect. And this was Kuroo,  _Kuroo_ , the only one who was able to figure Daichi out in almost every way.

Daichi did trust Kuroo to some degree, of course, but sharing a bed? That was a whole new level.

Kuroo sighed, and it startled Daichi. It seemed like the alpha had figured him out again. "Sawamura, you can tell me if you're not okay with it. I'll sleep on the floor," Kuroo said. His voice was smooth, almost like he was trying to calm Daichi down and be soothing.

"No, no!" Daichi held up both his hands. "It's not… I… forget about it," he waved his hands. "I just… I've never shared a bed with anyone before and it's quite… new to me."

Daichi wasn't sure if he had imaged it, but Kuroo's eyes suddenly became softer. "I understand. It's okay. I promise I won't do anything to you. We'll just sleep and pretend like we're in separate beds."

"I… okay," Daichi opened his mouth, but this was all he could say. However, he was still able to add a 'thank you' before sitting down on the bed. Kuroo just hummed and went back to his book like nothing had happened.

Daichi felt like he should say something, but he didn't know what it was. So, in the end, he just shrugged it off and climbed into bed. Kuroo was still reading, so Daichi let him be and tucked himself under the covers. He closed his eyes and was fast asleep without knowing that Kuroo had been watching him the whole time. And when he woke up, Kuroo was already in the shower.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"Lev! Faster! I said 'Faster!'"

"I'm doing the best I can!"

"That's not as fast as you could be! Try harder!"

"I hate you!"

"You're going to thank me later!"

"No way!"

Daichi chuckled as he watched Kuroo shout at Lev, and the first year was now moaning as he tried to punch even faster.

It was Saturday morning. The sun was high up in the sky, and the students were all out on the field in front of the lodge. Kuroo was tutoring Lev while Yaku sparred with Yamamoto. Not far away were Bokuto and some students from House Shinzen. Akaashi was not so far behind. Despite not taking any combat classes, Bokuto had still dragged him here.

Daichi saw Kageyama too. His junior was with the students from House Shiratorizawa; he was working out right now. From what Daichi saw, he could tell that Kageyama was doing well. The first years from House Shiratorizawa were now doing some footwork under the eyes of the third years.

"Yo! Sawamura-san!"

Someone called him and Daichi turned toward their voice. He raised his eyebrows when he saw who it was.

"Terushima?"

"Yup! Glad you remembered my name!" the blond grinned, his yellow wings, like an oriental white-eye, flapped excitedly. "Bobata said that he saw you yesterday, but I didn't believe him at first. Why are you here Sawamura-san? Not that it's a bad thing! I'm just curious, since you don't take any combat classes…" Terushima trailed off, flashing Daichi a toothy grin.

Daichi felt that this young alpha in front of him was probably a younger version of Kuroo, but more energetic and reckless. "I'm here in case anyone gets hurt."

"Oh! I see," Terushima's eyes suddenly sparked. "See you around Sawamura-san!" and then he was running back to his friends with a huge smile on his face.

"I have a feeling that he's going to be asking for a 'healer' soon."

"Hm?" Daichi turned to his left and raised his eyebrows at Kuroo, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was now standing beside him. "What do you mean? And where's Lev?"

"I sent him to run laps around the field," Kuroo replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Like I said, I'm guessing that Terushima or his friends, or all of them, are going to injure themselves and will be asking for your help soon. It'll be pretty annoying when that happens."

"Is that so," Daichi chuckled. He couldn't help but think that Terushima's idea was quite cute, but he had to agree that at the same time it could be troublesome. In the corner of his eye, he saw Lev running around the field with his wings pressed against his back.

"Oi! Kuroo!"

Bokuto's voice called from behind them and both Daichi and Kuroo turned to see the owl-like alpha jogging toward them. Akaashi followed several steps behind him.

"Let's go for a flight!" Bokuto shouted. "Akaashi said that today's too windy for him, but it's perfect for practicing endurance! What do you think?"

"Endurance, huh?" Kuroo looked up at the sky and turned to grin at Bokuto. "Agreed. Let's go then. Daichi, if Lev comes looking for me tell him to go to Yaku, okay?"

"Okay," Daichi nodded, watching Kuroo spread his wings and follow Bokuto up into the sky. He would never get bored of watching Kuroo take off. Those broad brown wings spread out and beat against the wind.

Akaashi stepped up to stand beside Daichi as both of them watched Kuroo and Bokuto fly higher and higher. Daichi noticed that there was something in Akaashi's eyes.  _Pr_ _ide_ _, perhaps?_

"I'm proud of him."

 _Yeah, I'm right,_  Daichi thought as he waited for Akaashi to continue. But the beta just stood there; his eyes didn't even turn to look at Daichi. Those metal blue eyes had never left Bokuto.  _Akaashi is always calm and composed_ _._ _O_ _r maybe he_ _just_ _seems_ _that way_ _because he's always with Bokuto._

Daichi had a feeling that Akaashi had wanted to say this to someone for a long time. The look on Akaashi's face told Daichi that he really felt what he said. However, Daichi had no idea what to say back, so he just stood there beside Akaashi and watched the two alphas in the sky.

"We owls are known for silence and patience, not endurance," Akaashi continued and Daichi listened. It's not every day that the beta would start a conversation first. "Bokuto-san trained really hard for it. Even though his endurance isn't as high as Kuroo-san's, he's the best among us."

"Kuroo has higher endurance than Bokuto?" Daichi blinked. He had always thought that Bokuto was the one with higher energy level.

"It's in his nature."

"His nature?"

"Yes," Akaashi turned to look at him. The thin lips curved into an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I thought Kuroo-san had told you what he is. He's a golden eagle."

"A golden eagle?" Daichi blinked, not really surprised. "I didn't know."

Golden eagles were one of the largest eagles on earth. They could hunt a prey as large as a gray wolf and would spend most of their time up in the sky, watching the ground below with their sharp eyes before diving down and catching the prey from behind. Their wingspans were the fourth largest among eagles.

Thinking about it, Daichi agreed that it was reasonable that Kuroo was a golden eagle. However, in his mind Daichi thought that Kuroo should be called a 'cat-eagle' instead.

"But some say that he might be a white-tailed eagle, judging from how long his wings are" Akaashi continued. "His father is a golden eagle while his mother is a white-tailed, but mixed-offspring are hard to find."

"I see," Daichi nodded, his eyes fixed on the broad brown wings spread out in the sky above. White-tailed eagles were known for having the longest wingspan. Thinking about it, Daichi agreed that it also made sense that Kuroo was a white-tailed eagle, but the color of his wings suggested more that he was a golden eagle.

"Do you know about others?" Daichi continued, gesturing toward other students on the field. "I've figured out some, but some, like Lev, I still don't know."

"Lev… Haiba-kun?" Akaashi looked at the silver-haired first year who still hadn't completed the run Kuroo ordered him to do. "He's a gyrfalcon."

"Goshiki and Tendō?"

Akaashi's eyes narrowed a bit as he stared at the group of students from House Shiratorizawa. "Goshiki-kun is a peregrine, and Tendō is a scarlet ibis."

 _Why am I not surprised,_  Daichi chuckled, comparing Tendō and a scarlet ibis in his mind.  _Well, I should_ _have_ _know_ _n_ _that. Birds with_ _completely_ _red wings aren't easy to come by._

"What about Ushijima?" Daichi asked, gesturing toward the alpha. "I thought he was a swan, but that… well, that doesn't seem to fit, at least to me. He seems to be more of a predatory type. Maybe an albino eagle?"

Akaashi's lips curved into a soft smile. "Most people guess it wrong. He's a snowy owl."

 _A snowy owl?!_  Daichi almost gasped.  _Well, it does suit his personality._

However, before Daichi could ask Akaashi about more of the students he didn't know, something appeared in the corner of his eye, along with the sound of horses, many, many horses.

Both Daichi and Akaashi immediately turned toward the source of the noise. What they saw made Daichi instinctively take a step back while Akaashi frowned in confusion.

Coming toward the lodge in the distance was a company of Northern soldiers, all armed. Daichi's instincts screamed that this was not good, and the expression on Akaashi's face didn't help him calm down. Around them, many students had stopped sparring and turned to look at the approaching soldiers.

"This is… new," Akaashi murmured, still frowning. "Normally they don't use this road for travelling."

Suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder, making Daichi jump. He turned and saw that Kuroo and Bokuto were already back on the ground with them.

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi called, letting the horned-owl alpha pull him close. In the corner of his eye, Daichi saw Ushijima do the same with Kageyama.

"Kuroo," Bokuto said, his voice no longer filled with laughter and energy. Actually, this was the first time Daichi had heard Bokuto sound this serious. "Do you know what this is about?" the president of House Fukurōdani asked as he spread his wings out a bit.

"Maybe, I'm not sure," Kuroo replied, hazel eyes narrowing, one arm sneaking behind Daichi, and the omega let himself be tugged against the alpha's side. His large dark-brown wings unfurled half way. "This could get ugly."

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your supports, they mean a lot to me!  
> My new semester has started, so it'll take me longer to update the next chapter. I'll update the next chapter as soon as I can ^^


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

The company of Northern soldiers came closer and closer until they reached the edge of the field. Most of the company slowed down into a stop, but three horses continued to walk toward them.

"Marshal Hibarida Fuki," Daichi heard Bokuto murmur from behind. He turned and saw that the president of House Fukurōdani had stepped up, Akaashi right behind him. "The Marshal? What is he doing here?"

"It's probably because of us," Kuroo replied, his eyes never leaving the approaching horses. Daichi had no idea who Marshal Hibarida Fuki was, but he guessed it was the man riding in front. He turned back to Kuroo and saw that the alpha was looking at him.

"Stay with Akaashi," was all Kuroo said before he stepped forward. His brown wings unfurled as he and Bokuto, along with Ushijima, walked toward the approaching horses.

"This is troubling," a familiar voice spoke up beside him and both Akaashi, and Daichi turned to see Yaku standing with his hands on his hip and Lev behind him.

"What do you mean, Yaku-san?" Akaashi asked, blinking.

"My father said that normally the army would avoid meeting with the accepted students in public, or somewhere out in the open," Yaku replied. "They wanted to have the students be students until they graduate. I'm guessing that there's an emergency, or the army wants to use this area and didn't expect us to be here."

"What would they want with this place?" Lev asked, his black-flecked white wings flapping slightly, indicating that the younger student was nervous. "Do they want a practice ground? But the nearest military camp is just an hour's ride away, thirty or forty minutes by wings."

"I have no idea," Yaku shook his head, narrowing his eyes.

 

It took several minutes before Kuroo, Bokuto, and Ushijima walked back to them, but it felt like an eternity to Daichi. He saw the way Akaashi seemed to move toward Bokuto as soon as the alpha was back. Behind them, other students had gathered around quietly, wanting to know what was going on.

"Marshal Fuki wishes to use half the field," Ushijima announced. "We can continue our practice as long as we do not disturb them."

"Andddddddd… what they're doing is classified, which means that we can't talk about it," Kuroo added. His voice was filled with his usual boredom. "But you're allowed to look, though," the alpha added with his usual grin, his voice a bit more playful. "So! Let's get back to it then."

Many students were murmuring and some were still discussing the situation to each other, but all of them followed what Kuroo said. Within a minute, the students were back to whatever they were doing before the army arrived, and no one asked anything. Daichi had a feeling that most of the Northern students were used to things like this.

"So, where were we?" As soon as everything was back to normal, Kuroo turned back to Daichi.

"You were flying with Bokuto," Daichi replied, blinking as the alpha put one arm around his shoulders and gently urged him to walk back towards the lodge. "Kuroo?"

"It's best if you stay as far away from them as possible," Kuroo said, his voice lacking any of the playfulness from before. "Marshal Fuki holds no grudge against students from the South, but some of those under his command do." 'They will hurt you' was what Kuroo didn't say, but Daichi could hear it clearly. "They're soldiers who fought in the previous war," the alpha continued. Daichi could hear some strain in his voice; Kuroo was uncomfortable to talk about it. "Some of them refuse to let go, some of them love bullying Southerners because they won the war, and some of them don't see Southerners as people."

Kuroo ended it at that. Daichi decided not to ask and followed the alpha into the lodge. Behind them was Yaku, the omega silently following them, and trailing after Yaku was Lev.

"There's a library on the first floor," Yaku spoke up as soon as they walked into the lodge. "I haven't shown it to you yet, have I? Let's go then, I'll give you a tour." He grabbed Daichi's arm, leading Daichi down the corridor. Kuroo and Lev didn't follow them. Daichi saw both alphas walking back out as soon as they made sure that Daichi and Yaku were safe inside.

 

A short tour to the library turned into a full tour around the lodge. However, Daichi didn't mention it and let Yaku walk him around. They met Shirabu and Kageyama on their tour around the second floor, and both omegas from House Shiratorizawa were touring the lodge too, so Yaku took the three of them around the lodge. The tour ended at the library.

Daichi understood what Yaku was trying to do, and he appreciated it, so he didn't say anything. However, Kageyama did.

"It's not a coincidence, right?" the tallest omega among them spoke, and all three all of them immediately turned toward him.

"It's not a coincidence that Sawamura-san and I were sent inside as soon as those soldiers arrived," Kageyama said, deep blue eyes looking at Shirabu and Yaku.

"Some of those soldiers are just blood-lusted idiots," Yaku said, shrugging. "They can't tell a Southerner from a Southern soldier. It's safer to have both of you inside until they're gone."

Kageyama nodded, not seeming worried about what Yaku just confirmed. It was Shirabu who raised his eyebrows.

"You don't seem worried," the second year said with his usual calm and emotionless voice. Kageyama's head snapped toward him. Daichi had a feeling that there was an 'extremeness' trait in all the students sent to House Shiratorizawa. If they weren't so extremely expressive like Goshiki and Tendō, they were extremely unexpressive like Ushijima and Shirabu.

"Because I'm not worried," Kageyama replied, shrugging. "I know that not all Northerners welcome us to their lands, so I've prepared to be hated."

 _My Goodness, this is why both Kuroo and Tendō_ _want_ _Ushijima and Kageyama to get together,_  a small voice in his head said, and Daichi couldn't do anything but agree.

Yaku looked dumbfounded, but the third year regained his compose quickly while Shirabu only widened his eyes; Daichi had a feeling that it was the most expressive thing he would get from Shirabu.

"Well, since both of you will be stuck here until those soldiers leave, make yourselves at home," Yaku sighed, shrugging as he waved to all shelves and books in the library. "If you need me, I'll be at the main living room."

"I'll be in the living room, too," Shirabu said, preparing to head out, but Daichi stopped them.

"Wait, you're not going back outside?"

Yaku turned to look at him, a glimpse of sadness and frustration clear in his eyes for a split second. "No," the omega replied, and Daichi saw that Shirabu had the same look in his eyes as Yaku.

"Why?" Kageyama frowned. "Goshiki will make a scene if you don't go practice with him," he added, looking at Shirabu, who averted his eyes.

"He won't," was all Shirabu said before the second-year omega left the library. Daichi and Kageyama turned to Yaku. It was clear that something was up.

Yaku looked at them and sighed, walking back to drop down on the nearest chair. "Okay, well… how should I explain this…" the omega sighed, massaging his temple with one hand. "You might have heard some Northerners make claims that we're more civilized than the South, but the truth is we're not that different, sometimes even worse," the shorter male shook his head in frustration. "In many fields, like politics and the military, omegas aren't allowed. And some alphas in those fields… some of them don't see us as a people. They see us as a toy or a tool to give them pleasure."

 _Ah,_  Daichi thought,  _some of them are sexist and only_ _see omegas as_ _someone to warm their beds_ _._

"So… it's best for Shirabu and I to stay inside. Although male omegas are generally like any male beta when we're not in heat, unless an alpha has an incredible nose," Yaku continued. From the words he used, Daichi assumed that Yaku didn't know that he and Kageyama were also omegas. "It's better to be safe than sorry," the shorter male ended it with another sigh.

"I see," Daichi nodded.  _So the situation here is not so different from the South then_ _,_  he thought, thinking about how omegas were treated in the South.

 _And the situation for a black bird is probably not going to be different_ _either_ _,_  another voice spoke up and made Daichi want to slap himself.

 

After that Yaku left Daichi and Kageyama alone in the library. Having nothing to do and no urge to start a conversation, they both settled down to read. They didn't leave the library until lunchtime.

"Hey"

Daichi perked up at the familiar voice. He looked up from the book and saw Kuroo standing in front of him. The omega had no idea when Kuroo had arrived at the library, but he found that he couldn't bring himself to care.

"It's almost lunchtime," Kuroo said, holding one of his hands out, his voice soft and full of something Daichi couldn't recognize, something soft and pure. "Let's go."

"Okay," Daichi nodded, setting the book down and letting Kuroo pull him up from the chair. In the corner of his eye, he saw Kageyama walking out of the room with Ushijima and couldn't help but think that Kageyama and Ushijima looked like a couple.

"Are they together yet?" Daichi turned to ask Kuroo out of curiosity, gesturing toward his junior and Ushijima. The alpha raised his eyebrows in question, so Daichi added, "Kageyama and Ushijima?"  _Kuroo's preoccupied?_  A voice in his head spoke up, confused, since Kuroo always responded quickly to whatever Daichi asked.

"Oh," the alpha nodded, blinking before curving his lips into his usual grin. "They're not, but soon… I hope."

"Something on your mind?" Daichi continued, deciding to try his luck. Kuroo just looked at him and at that moment Daichi had a feeling that the alpha was going to lie. However, Kuroo just sighed and offered him a soft smile instead.

"Yeah," Kuroo admitted, scratching the back of his head. "I was worried. Like I've told you, not all Northern soldiers can see the difference between Southerners and Southern soldiers. Some even became addicted to blood and violence, it's so annoying."

 _He's tired,_  a voice in his head spoke and Daichi agreed. Kuroo looked like when they're in the middle of the exam where the alpha usually collapsed on his bed as soon as he reached their shared treehouse.

Without thinking, Daichi's hand moved on its own. He grabbed Kuroo's shirt and pulled the alpha back toward him. Kuroo let himself be pulled with only raised eyebrows and a spark of interest in his eyes. However, that spark soon turned into something else as Daichi ended up pulling Kuroo into a loose hug.

"Sawamura...?" Kuroo titled his head, but didn't pull away. In fact, the alpha slowly brought his arms up and hugged Daichi back. Daichi couldn't help but wonder why Kuroo had barely hugged him around the back. Mostly the alpha would hug his shoulders or his waist/hips instead of putting his arms around Daichi's back. The only time Kuroo had ever put his arms on the middle of Daichi's back was when he held Daichi up bridal style, that time when they were at the fireworks festival.

 _Hey, you should be grateful he prefer_ _s_ _to hug you around the shoulder_ _s_ _or the waist, or do you wanna risk him finding out that you have wings?_  One voice spoke up, and Daichi agreed with it and dropped the subject.

They stayed in each other's arm for a while before Kuroo gently pulled away. This wasn't the first time Daichi felt a bit empty when they parted.

"Let's go," Kuroo said softly, gesturing toward the door. "I have a feeling that Lev is chattering Yaku's ears off right now."

"I can image that," Daichi said, shaking his head with a small chuckle. Kuroo just laughed and led him out of the library.

 

 

The Northern soldiers were still around after lunch, so Daichi, Kageyama, Yaku, and Shirabu stayed inside. All four of them decided to spend time in the library, reading and listening to the voices from the outside. Bokuto's voice was one of the things Daichi heard the most, along with some shouting from Lev and those from House Johzenji.

There were several time Daichi accidentally looked out of the window toward where the Northern soldiers were. It seemed like they were just resting or doing some light sparring with each other. However, Daichi did see Kuroo, Ushijima, and Bokuto walk into the Northern soldiers' camp several times throughout the afternoon, and all of them walked in to discuss something with Marshal Fuki. Daichi had no idea what they were talking about, but he didn't think it was a good thing since Bokuto became less energetic and more serious every time he walked back from the meeting with the Marshal.

 

They ended the day with Kuroo asking Bokuto for a serious bare-handed spar. Ushijima was the referee because he was only the one who could stop both alphas if something got out of hand. Other students walked away as far as they could and formed a half circle around them.

Daichi and the rest of them watched from the window of the library. This was the first time Daichi had seen Bokuto and Kuroo this serious. At the end of the spar, blood was spilled and both alphas were covered with small cuts and wounds.

Kuroo won the spar, but both of them weren't smiling as Ushijima announced that today's practice had ended.

Daichi wasn't sure what possessed him, but he rushed towards Kuroo as soon as the alpha was in front of the lodge's door. He waited until Kuroo was inside and didn't resist when Kuroo pulled him along as the alpha walked up the stairs.

Daichi didn't ask why Kuroo was like this as he was led down the corridor. He didn't say anything as Kuroo pushed the door opened and kicked it close as soon as both of them were in their room. He didn't say anything when Kuroo sat down on the bed and pulled him into a hug. The alpha's arms circled Daichi's waist while his face snugged into the omega's stomach. His large brown wings were half unfurled.

 _What should I do?_  Daichi gulped. He had never seen Kuroo nor anyone acting like this before, so he had no idea what to do.  _Is he… upset? Is he upset about Bokuto? No, that's not it. It's something to do with the North_ _ern_ _army out there. But Kuroo said that he wouldn't talk about it. Shit… he looks like he's in pain._ _How_ _can I help him?_

"Are you okay?" in the end, since he's not able to think of anything else, Daichi decided to ask and tentatively put one hand on Kuroo's shoulder and watched the alpha sighed. Yet, Kuroo still didn't say anything.

 _Maybe I should let him be,_  another voice spoke up as his hand started caressing and massaging Kuroo's shoulder. Still, nothing happened. Kuroo didn't move an inch. It was like he didn't feel Daichi's hand there at all.

_Maybe he_ _'ll_ _talk about it when he's ready, or at least explain what happened to me. Maybe._

Daichi wasn't a fan of waiting, but he could do it. So, he didn't move away and let Kuroo bury his face in his stomach as long as the alpha liked.

 

They stayed like that for a while, with Kuroo's head snuggling against Daichi's abdomen and Daichi's hand caressing the alpha's shoulder. The first sound after a long period of silence was Kuroo sighing softly before slowly pulling his head away from Daichi's stomach. However, the alpha's arms remained where they were.

Daichi smiled at him. "Feeling better?" he asked, slowly pulling his hand away from Kuroo's shoulder.

"Yeah," the alpha nodded, smiling. "Thank you."

Both of them were silent after that, with Kuroo's arms around Daichi's waist. Daichi didn't know why he didn't push the alpha away, and he had no idea why his felt body felt so content when Kuroo was nearby.

In the end, Kuroo was the first to speak. "There's a complication at the border."

"A complication?"

"Yes," Kuroo nodded. His voice was heavy and there was a slight grimace in his eyes. "That's why those Northern soldiers are here."

"Here?" Daichi blinked, confused. "But this isn't the border."

"They're here because of something else," Kuroo replied, his hazel eyes flashed dangerously but that scary look disappeared as soon as Daichi tried to look closely at it. "They're here because of you and Kageyama."

"Me and Kageyama?" Daichi repeated the words, an assumption already forming in his head. "What do we have to do with them?"

Kuroo's eyes turned darker as they looked into each other's eyes. Daichi wouldn't have picked up on the small expression in the alpha's eyes if not because he had been spending a lot of time with Kuroo.

Kuroo was hesitating.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," Daichi quickly added, holding both of his hands up. He didn't want to press Kuroo into anything the alpha wasn't comfortable with. "I understand."  _I understand if it's a military thing, I understand if you can't tell me._

"Hell no," Kuroo sighed, pulling Daichi closer to him. "It's just… it's…shit. Screw those dickheads in the council, you deserve the truth."

"The truth?" Daichi's eyes widened.  _What did Kuroo mean?_  He looked up and hazel eyes stared back at him, keeping Daichi rooted in place.

"The complication at the border turned into a fight," Kuroo said, his voice serious. "Two Northern soldiers were heavily injured. The council wants to punish the exchange students as a repayment for the 'undisciplined behavior,' or whatever shit they called that action from the South. They sent Marshal Fuki and his company here to take you and Kageyama away in case the the South didn't apologize quickly and repay what happened before this evening."

"A… punishment?" Daichi's eyes widened and he had no idea what to do. The knowledge made a chill run up his spine, and he could feel blood being drawn away from his face. His arms and legs felt numb and boneless while his shoulders tensed up.

Daichi tried not to let his fear show. However, it seemed like Kuroo knew anyways because the alpha tightened his embrace.

"Don't worry, your government decided to apologize. The Marshal and his company will leave soon after a proper order is sent from the council," Kuroo continued quickly. His voice was soft and soothing. "You and Kageyama won't be going anywhere."

"Thank goodness," Daichi let out a sigh, letting himself slump forward, and Kuroo was there to hold him. Kuroo hugged him tighter and Daichi hid his face in the crook of Kuroo's neck, breathing in the scent of the alpha that had become so soothing to him. It didn't take long before Kuroo was nuzzling his nose in Daichi's hair.

"Even if they still decide to take you away, I won't let them, and neither will Ushijima," the alpha said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "There's a tradition in the North that you can take the place of someone sentenced to be punished."

"What? Wait… what do you mean?" Daichi immediately pulled himself away to look Kuroo in the eyes. His heart was pounding hard in his chest as he looked at the alpha. "You… you don't really mean it, do you?" His voice was so quiet that it was barely above a whisper as he spoke.

Kuroo looked at him, and what Daichi saw in his eyes was enough to confirm the answer.

"You really mean it," he whispered, and Kuroo nodded. "But... but it's not fair. You can't do that!"

"Why?" Kuroo raised his eyebrows, the corner of his lips curved up a bit. "Why can't I?"

"Because it's not your fault," Daichi spoke, shaking his head, "it's not your burden."

The alpha's eyes immediately narrowed at Daichi's wording. "Burden? But this is not  _your_  burden either." He spoke, and there was an edge to his voice. "Sawamura, it's not your fault."

"But I'm a hostage!" Daichi exclaimed before he could stop himself. "I know that you see me as a friend but that's not going to change anything despite how much I wish it will! I'm still a hostage, and you're still a soldier, and we can't change that," his voice was quieter in the end. Honestly, Daichi felt like he had expressed his thoughts and feelings more than what he wished he would.

Kuroo's eyes were bright with something Daichi couldn't recognize. "So? I've told you before that I don't care. You're important to me, and I'm not letting you go. Sawamura, you're not alone."

"I…" Daichi opened his mouth, but then he found he didn't know what to say.

'… _you're not alone_ _._ _'_  Kuroo's words kept repeating in his head, and Daichi felt like crying. And of course, he didn't know why. He didn't understand the feeling he was experiencing at all. It was like something had crushed him down at first, but then Kuroo lifted that away and replaced it with something Daichi wasn't familiar with at all.

Suddenly, Kuroo pulled him into a tight hug, one hand gently pushing Daichi's head to rest on his shoulder and Daichi complied. His arms sneaked around the alpha to loosely hug Kuroo back. Neither said anything as they simply hugged each other.

They stayed like that for a while. Daichi was the first to pull away and nudged Kuroo softly. The alpha let him go before both of them smiled at each other. Daichi asked Kuroo softly if the alpha wanted him to look at his wounds. Kuroo said no at first, but then he changed it to a yes after he saw how concerned Daichi was.

Daichi treated Kuroo's wounds first, and after that they made their way to the dining room. The room was almost empty when they arrived, only Bokuto, Akaashi, and a few students from House Shiratorizawa still remained. Bokuto's wounds were already treated by Akaashi who had taken classes in basic healing.

Ushijima and Kageyama were nowhere to be found, but Daichi wasn't worried about them. He knew that Ushijima wouldn't let anything happened to his junior. However, who Daichi was worried about was Bokuto. He had never seen Bokuto and Kuroo fight each other that hard before. But as soon as they sat down, Bokuto began chattering their ears off and Kuroo immediately joined in like nothing had happened. This made Daichi let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

 

 

The army had packed up and left the field after they finished their meal. Akaashi invited Daichi to a card game with other students from House Fukurōdani while Bokuto and Kuroo watched the soldiers leave. Daichi accepted the invitation and spent a good hour among Akaashi's friends. Kuroo and Bokuto also joined them as soon as all of the Northern soldiers were gone.

Two hours later, Kuroo announced that it was late and they all should be getting ready for bed. Many students playfully protested, but all of them complied in the end. Daichi couldn't help but smile as he watched Kuroo and other presidents usher their House members upstairs (except for Bokuto – Akaashi had dragged him upstairs before Bokuto started a protest against a proper bedtime).

Kuroo and Daichi were one of the very last people to go upstairs. No one said anything as they entered their shared bedroom. Somehow, the silence weren't antagonizing nor discomforting.

"You shower first," Kuroo suggested, yawning as he flopped down on a coffee table. "I'll probably mess up the bathroom with my blood."

"You still cannot sit on a real chair," Daichi commented with a frown, but his tone lack the seriousness in it. "I'll treat you wound after you shower," he added.

"Thank you," Kuroo replied softly, grinning as he put his feet on the nearby chair. Daichi sighed and rolled his eyes before he entered the bathroom.

 

After Kuroo showered, Daichi checked his wounds and announced that there should be no infection. The alpha thanked him and dropped onto the bed, announcing that he was going to go to sleep first and that Daichi should join him soon; Daichi only rolled his eyes and tried to ignore how red his cheeks were.

Still, Daichi waited it out until Kuroo's breath was even that he climbed onto the bed. He'd almost fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. It didn't take long until Daichi's breath was slow and steady too.

Without the omega knowing that he was awake the entire time, Kuroo opened his eyes. He then snuggled close to Daichi and slowly cuddled with the omega from behind. He could hear Daichi sigh in happiness but didn't wake up; the alpha smiled at that. One of his broad brown wings stretched out and covered both of them, after that Kuroo let himself fall asleep.

Of course, Daichi wouldn't know about any of this because Kuroo was up and about before sunrise.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Days had passed and the First Semester Competition had begun. Daichi noted that he had never seen the Academy this lively before, although this was just his third month here. Yet, Daichi could say that he had started to call this place home.

 _Or at least as close as a home I_ _'ll_ _have for now…_  a voice spoke up in his head, and the omega mentally grimaced. He hated how his inner-self always reminded him that the peaceful life he had here could end at any time.

He shook that thought out of his head, deciding that he would worry about it later.

Daichi walked faster as he continued on his way. Today Kuroo's team would take on a mixed team of House Wakutani and Johzenji students. Daichi was confident that Kuroo could win.

There were already so many students at the arena when Daichi entered. Luckily, Yaku had saved a seat for him. Daichi felt that Yaku cared a lot about Lev despite how harshly he told the younger student that he wasn't going to go watch Lev compete with other students. And yet, here he was, shouting for Lev as the moderator introduced each team.

Daichi didn't catch the names of the students from House Wakutani and Johzenji, but he did recognize them as second years.

After the moderator finished introducing the first team, she then turned to Kuroo's team. Daichi couldn't help but cheer loudly when Kuroo's name was announced.

"Tetsurō Kuroo!"

The black hair alpha gave everyone a huge grin as he walked up to the center of the arena, lining up in front of the other team.

"Kōtarō Bokuto!"

Daichi swore he could hear the trademark 'hey, hey, hey!' as he watched Bokuto jogging forward to stand beside Kuroo. On the other side of the arena, Daichi could make out the figure of Akaashi sitting among other students from House Fukurōdani. Bokuto just had to turn and shouted 'Akaashi!', making the beta blush deeply before trying to hide his face in his hands. Daichi couldn't help but smile.

"Lev Haiba!"

Lev jogged out to join his senior. Even from afar, Daichi could tell that the young alpha was quite nervous.

"His walk is so stiff I want to kick him," beside him, Yaku muttered. "Damnit, he should be more confident than this. What happened to that annoying brat?"

"It's his first time in an official match, isn't it?" Daichi said nonchalantly, silently agreeing that Lev's movement were stiffer than usual.

"Oh my goodness, and here I thought I could watch the competition without that idiot noticing that I'm here," Yaku groaned, before he stood up and shouted at the top of his lung. "Lev! You brat! Don't you dare lose!"

 _Is that really going to help?_  Daichi felt sweat trickle down his forehead as he turned to see what expression Lev would have on his face. To his surprise, Lev seemed to relax when he recognized who was shouting at him.

"I won't!" he shouted back, his movement suddenly becoming fluid like they always were, as the first year waved back at them. Beside Daichi, Yaku huffed and sat down, mumbling something about smacking Lev's head as soon as the competition was done.

Leaving Yaku to his muttering, Daichi's eyes wandered back to the arena. He then caught Kuroo's eyes, or Kuroo's eyes caught his.

"Good luck, have fun," Daichi said silently, smiling at Kuroo who raised an eyebrow at him. Nevertheless, the alpha smiled back.

A reference blew the whistle as the moderator read the rules. Daichi's eyes were glued to Kuroo's team as the reference signaled each team to take their stance.

After another blow of the whistle, both teams jumped at each other.

Daichi cheered alongside with other students from House Nekoma and Fukurōdani. Yaku was the most animated among them, despite how the omega had announced that he wasn't going to come to the competition.

 

The match ended with a quick win on Kuroo's side. Daichi found himself smiling when he saw Bokuto quickly go to Akaashi and pull the beta into a hug. Of course, Akaashi didn't approve of it, but there was nothing he could do. Yaku was down there to both kick and hug Lev as soon as the match was finished. And Kuroo, Kuroo just turned to give Daichi a smile. A happy smile that made Daichi's heart skip a beat as he smiled back.

However, just a smile didn't seem to be enough because suddenly Kuroo was on the stand in front of Daichi.

"Congratulations," Daichi spoke softly, getting used to how Kuroo always moved so quickly and swiftly. Kuroo just smiled back, his wings stretched out on each side of Daichi, blocking the view of the others.

"Thanks," Kuroo replied, smiling as he grabbed both of Daichi's hands. His voice was serious and genuine when he said the next sentence. "Hey, can I kiss you?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

_Kiss me?_

_He wants to kiss me?_

Daichi was stunned. He understood what Kuroo had said, but he couldn't understand  _why_  the alpha had suddenly asked him for a kiss.

 _A kiss? What kiss? We're not lovers!_  The omega thought as his eyes stayed fixed on Kuroo's hazel ones.  _Why does he want a kiss from me? Shouldn't Kuroo want a kiss from someone like… I don't know… a nice girl with perfect curls and long hair?_   _He likes girl_ _s_ _with long hair, right?_  Daichi thought back to the time he and Kuroo talked about their interests. He remembered Kuroo saying that he liked girls with long hair while Yaku liked girls with short hair.

"Wh… why?" Daichi asked, gasping as Kuroo put both of the omega's hands in one of his while his other one sneaked around and hugged Daichi's waist. "I… um… I thought you liked girls with long hair?"

"I do like girls with long hair," Kuroo chuckled, shaking his head as he pulled Daichi closer until their bodies met, "but I want a kiss from you."

 _A kiss from me?_  Daichi's eyes widened. He had no idea while his stomach suddenly felt like there were thousands of butterflies flying inside. He felt strangely happy, but also afraid. Daichi could cope with hugging because Suga liked to hug people to make them feel better. But that was it, that was as far as Daichi's experience went. He had never been intimate with anyone, and he couldn't image doing that since anyone would leave him as soon as they found out he was a black bird.

 _W_ _hy?_  His inner voice kept asking.  _W_ _hy_ _does_ _Kuroo wants a kiss from me?_

 _Maybe…_ _it's_ _a good luck kiss? A kiss on a forehead?_  Another voice suggested, and Daichi thought back to times in the South when he saw friends kissing each other on the forehead for good luck.  _But I_ _haven't_ _heard that Northerners have this tradition,_ _too_ _. Well, they_ _must_ _, or else Kuroo wouldn't be asking for a kiss._

Satisfied with what he had come up with, Daichi sighed and nodded. However, what he didn't expect was for Kuroo to freeze in place. Hazel eyes widened as Daichi slowly pulled his hands from Kuroo's and placed them on both sides of Kuroo's face.

"You're so tall," he murmured, pulling the alpha's face down to kiss Kuroo softly on the forehead. Daichi had never given anyone a good luck kiss before, so he hoped that it was alright.

And Kuroo? The alpha just froze in place. His eyes widened in shock and his cheeks reddened a bit.

"Um… Kuroo?" Daichi raised his eyebrows, worry bubbling in his chest at Kuroo's reaction. "Was it… that bad?" he asked, and almost winced at how full of trepidation his voice was.

"Bad?" Kuroo blinked, seeming to be in a daze. "What do you mean?"

"That good luck kiss, was it that bad?" Daichi said, cheeks reddening that he had to repeat the question. "I'm sorry then, that was the first time I've given a good luck kiss. But shouldn't you be asking for that kind of thing when you're…um… about to go into the arena? I mean, mostly people ask for good luck or blessing before they enter a competition not after it…" he trailed off, uneased by how quiet Kuroo was.

"Oh, that's…" suddenly, Kuroo snapped back to himself. His thin lips spread into a grin as he kept their bodies pressed against each other. "Don't worry. It was great. And you're right, I should be asking for a good luck kiss before I enter a competition. But right now, it still made me feel very lucky."

Daichi had no idea why Kuroo had to purr and grin in the last sentence. It made his stomach do a weird flip again. However, before Daichi could ask if the North had a good luck kiss tradition like in the South, Yaku decided to shout at them.

"Oi, you two! Get a room!"

Daichi immediately pulled away from Kuroo, startled, and Kuroo let him go with a slight annoyed look on his face. The alpha turned to Yaku, who crossed his arms in front of his chest with a smug grin on his face.

"What?" Yaku grinned at them. Behind him were other second and third year students from House Nekoma who were trying their best to hide their own grins. Lev wasn't among them, as he was celebrating with the other first years.

"Said by someone who has hickeys all over his neck!" Kuroo shouted back with a huge grin on his face as Yaku's cheeks reddened. "And they look fresh! Last night? Come on Yaku, I'm not going to tell anyone!"

 _Your voice is loud enough to get everyone's attention within one hundred meters,_  Daichi thought, rolling his eyes as he watched Yaku fume at Kuroo. Around them, other students from House Nekoma were choking back their laughter. The first to break was Yamamoto, who was now laughing madly in the back.

"Let's go." Before Yaku could shout something back, Kuroo grabbed Daichi's arm and suddenly they were back at their shared room in Nekoma dorm.

"How did…?" Daichi gasped, looking around him. "How did we get back here?"

"Easy, I shadow-walked us both," Kuroo shrugged, "so… did you enjoy the fight?" he asked, jumping up on his desk. Daichi wondered if Kuroo's ass had ever touched his chair. It seemed like the alpha's feet rested on that chair more than anything else.

"The fight? Dunno," Daichi shrugged back, grabbing his chair and sitting down. "But you did very well," he added, and Kuroo smiled at him.

"Just well?" Kuroo shifted, and now he was resting his elbows on his knees. "Come on, you can be more creative."

"Kuroo, you know I'm a healer student, not an art student," Daichi said, pretending to frown and appear unimpressed.

"I'm well aware of that," the alpha sighed, but the grin was still on his face. "But it doesn't stop you from being so cute and perfect."

"What?" Daichi almost choked on his breath. "What did you just say?"  _Did I hear him right? He just called me 'cute' and 'perfect'?!_

"I said that you're cute and that you're perfect," Kuroo replied to him, hazel eyes unreadable as the alpha suddenly approached him. Daichi had no idea how Kuroo could move so fast. "I can say it again if you want."

"I'm not cute!" Daichi immediately shouted back. "And I'm definitely not perfect! Kuroo, did you hit your head? Are you feeling okay?" he continued, almost reaching out to check Kuroo's temperature but stopping himself midway.

Somehow, Daichi had a feeling that Kuroo was disappointed to see Daichi's hand stop and drop back down. But before he could say anything, the alpha had already backed away. There was a calculating look in his hazel eyes.

"Kuroo?" Daichi asked, titling his head as Kuroo turned to grab his towel and opened his closet.

"I'm going to hit the showers now," Kuroo replied with his back to Daichi, his voice smooth and mixed with a tinge of boredom like usual. "After that we'll get something to eat, eh?"

 _His mood changes so fast_ _,_ _I can't keep up,_  Daichi moaned in his head, confused and tired out by how similar Kuroo was to a real cat.  _He's definitely a cat, a cat in a bird disguise._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Days went by, and Daichi found himself visiting the arena every day that Kuroo had a match. The competition ranged from boring to breath-taking. Daichi had almost yawned, like Kuroo did when the moderator took too much time in greeting the audience. And he could barely sit still when the match started. The deeper Kuroo's team advanced, the less time Daichi spent sitting on the bleacher. He, along with other students from House Nekoma, stood on their seats almost every time.

After that first match, Kuroo always came asking for a good luck kiss before he entered the ring. At first it startled Daichi because he didn't really think that he was good at it; the only person who ever gave him a 'good luck kiss' was his grandmother. Yet, since Kuroo seemed to like it, Daichi decided that he had done a decent job.

However, in the end Kuroo's team wasn't the winner of this tournament. They had advanced to the final, but it was Ushijima's team that grabbed the victory.

Both Lev and Bokuto were obviously feeling down about their defeat. That was the first time Daichi saw the genuine worry on Yaku's face. The shorter omega immediately ran toward Lev as soon as the ceremony ended and both teams were released from their position at the center of the stadium. In the corner of his eye, Daichi saw Akaashi doing the same to Bokuto.

Yet, when Daichi met Kuroo after the match, the alpha didn't seem to upset at all. Actually, he seemed to be quite calm and satisfied. So, despite having planned to leave Kuroo to himself for a while, he decided to approach the alpha instead.

"Something on your mind?" he asked as soon as Kuroo turned toward him. They were in a tunnel underneath the stands. Behind Daichi was the exit, and behind Kuroo was the opening leading to the stadium.

"Yes," the alpha nodded, his lips curving up into a grin. "We have more of a chance at the second semester tournament than I thought."

"What do you mean?" Daichi blinked, confused. Kuroo grinned and swung one arm around Daichi's shoulder, nudging him to start walking toward the exit.

"At first, I thought we'd be stopped at the semi-finals. Oikawa's team was quite strong and hard to beat," the taller male replied, mentioning the semifinal where his team beat Oikawa's team. "Yet Lev did better than I thought he would and we made it to the final. And despite losing to Ushijima, we did have time to study his team."

"Oh," Daichi nodded. Now he understood what Kuroo had been doing. Since Ushijma's team was all from House Shiratorizawa, it was good for scouting their moves and plans to use at the Second semester tournament. "So your main plan was to scout the teams that were made up of students from the same House?"

"Exactly," Kuroo chuckled. "Let's get back. Oh, and Sawamura…"

"Yes," Daichi titled his head. Kuroo often trailed off to make sure that he had Daichi's full attention, which meant he was being serious.

"How do you feel about dinner by a riverside?" the alpha asked, voice soft and smooth.

"A dinner at a riverside?" Daichi blinked. "Um… I don't know. I had a picnic near a river with Suga and Asahi once, and it was quite nice." He shrugged.

"Well then, how do you feel about going to dinner outside the Academy?" Kuroo grinned. "There's a nice restaurant not far away, and I kinda want to bring you with me. Don't worry, we won't get caught."

"But… I don't think I can afford going to a restaurant," Daichi shook his head. He did have some money, supported by the North's government, but it was just enough for him to buy some snacks or ordinary books.

"Don't worry about the money," Kuroo replied, pressing himself closer to Daichi as they exited the stadium. "It's my treat. Anddddd, don't say that I didn't have to do this or that it's too much. I'll take that as you just wanting to upset me."

"Kuroo…" Daichi let out an exasperated sigh, and the alpha's grin widened.

 

 

It was an hour flight from the Academy. At first, Daichi had no idea how Kuroo was going to get them passed the guards that patrolled the Academy's perimeter, but then Kuroo just grabbed him and shadow-walked both of them to a forest nearby. After that the alpha flew them to the restaurant he wanted to visit.

On the way, Kuroo explained that this restaurant was by a river which was one of the most used routes for transport ships. There were small villages, dockings, and restaurants along the way. However, the restaurants were most likely to attract the lords and ladies who came to check on their businesses.

"Today is International Labor Day," Kuroo explained when they had almost reached the restaurant, "which means that every government employee has a day off, so there will be few ships occupying the river. It's a nice view."

"Okay," Daichi nodded, "but why is it important? It's almost dark, we won't see much anyways."

"Oh, no, just wait and see. Not everyone knows about this secret," Kuroo chuckled, dipping his wings and prepared to land as a river, which looked like a giant glittering snake from the sky, came into view.

The restaurant was built from wood, surrounded by trees and bushes. Half of it was floating on the river and a stone path led the way from the front door towards the main road.

The beta waitress came to greet Kuroo as soon as the alpha touched down. "Young master," she called, smiling as she approached. "It's a pleasure to welcome you again."

"Thank you," Kuroo replied, voice soft but offering no emotion to read. "Is that table still available?"

"Yes sir," the beta nodded, "this way," she added, turning and leaded them toward the restaurant.

They walked past the entrance in silence. But instead of leading them toward the dining area, the waitress led them upstairs. On the second floor, there was a large terrace with several tables far away from each other. Daichi could tell that this area was more expensive since it offered both privacy and space. Apart from the tables, there were also several seating areas with sofas, armchairs, and coffee tables.

Daichi wondered where they would be sitting when he noticed that one dining table in the corner of the terrace was surrounded by floating candles.  _So this is where we'll sit,_  the omega thought as he followed Kuroo toward that table.

There were already glasses with filled with water waiting for them, along with silver dishes and utensils. The chair was so soft and comfortable that Daichi almost didn't believe that he was really sitting on a chair. His awe must have shown on his face because Kuroo turned to him and give Daichi a knowing grin.

The waitress waited patiently for Kuroo and Daichi to get comfortable before handing the menus to them. Behind her, Daichi saw several waiters arrive on the terrace with ice and more beverages.

 _Are those for us to choose_ _from_ _?_  Daichi thought as he turned his attention back to the menu in his hand. However, despite how much Daichi read it, he didn't understand a thing it said. Okay, he understood fish, pork, mushrooms, and all those simple words, but the magnificent names of each food sounded so foreign to him. It only made Daichi feel so out of place, sitting in front of Kuroo in this luxurious restaurant despite both of them being dressed in the same plain white shirt and black pants.

"I'll have the usual," Kuroo said after several second, "Sawamura?" he then turned to ask Daichi after handing the menu back to the waitress.

"I… I don't know," Daichi sighed. "Do you have any recommendations?"

Actually, Daichi wanted to say that he felt like he shouldn't be here because he had no idea what he was reading and that he felt so out of place, and that the waitress must be suppressing her laughter because Daichi must be the dumbest customer she'd ever had.

"Tenderloin, both beef and pork are good," Kuroo replied. The alpha's voice was so soft and somehow soothing. "And their grilled potato salad is the best."

"Um…" Daichi tried to find the prices of what Kuroo said on the menu, but he couldn't find either of them. So he just shrugged and decided that since this was Kuroo's treat, the alpha must be able to cover whatever he recommended to Daichi. "I'll have the beef tenderloin then."

"And to drink, sir?" the waitress asked, voice clear and polite.

"Just water, for now," Kuroo replied and the waitress bowed before she collected the menu and walked away. Daichi watched her talk to some waiters waiting at the door. All of the waiters nodded and left with the beverage they brought.

"Hey," Kuroo called and Daichi turned his head back toward the alpha, "something on you mind?"

"Nothing… I…" Daichi shook his head, "I just… I'm just not used to this. I feel so out of place." He gave a small laugh at the end of the sentence just to lighten the mood; Daichi didn't want Kuroo to be worried about him. Yet, as soon as he met Kuroo's eyes again, the omega knew that it was too late. Kuroo already knew what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't…you're being all nice to me but all I can do is destroy the mood-" Daichi started, but Kuroo stopped him.

"No, it's me who should be saying sorry," the alpha sighed, "look, we can go back. It's okay. It's my fault."

"No, no!" Daichi held both of his hands up. "No, I… um… what I meant was I need some times to get used to… this. I've never gone to a place this luxurious before. That's all!" What he said was partially a lie, if he's being honest. Daichi could only hope that Kuroo would take it.

The alpha did narrow his eyes a little but didn't push the subject, much to Daichi's relief. It didn't take long for Kuroo to start a small talk, which Daichi quickly followed.

Daichi felt himself relax more when the food was served. Kuroo's small talk helped him, and he was no longer feeling like the dumbest customer when the waiters and waitresses approached them with plates filled with food Daichi had never tried before. Although, it did take him several minutes to learn how to use each utensil with each dish. Kuroo, who just knew Daichi too well, had helped him by eating slowly at first so Daichi could catch up. Daichi had no idea how Kuroo knew that telling him how to use each utensil directly would embarrass Daichi more than help him, but he was grateful that Kuroo knew.

 

Dinner went by slowly with Kuroo keeping the small talk going during the meal. When the main dish arrived, Daichi found himself relaxed and happy, so happy that he started to return Kuroo's grin with a smile. That seemed to make the alpha's hazel eyes glow in the dark even more.

"Okay, so… it's almost time."

"Almost time?" Daichi blinked, titling his head as he watched Kuroo get up and stretch. They had just finished their dinner, so Daichi thought that they would lounge around a bit before going back, but it seemed like Kuroo had another plan in mind.

"It's about time to show you the real reason why I wanted to take you here." Kuroo winked at him, and Daichi had no idea what to do with that nor why his cheeks felt so hot again.

"What do you mean?" So, he asked Kuroo about what the alpha had just said instead.

Kuroo just grinned and gently grabbed his hand. Daichi blinked in surprise but didn't resist when Kuroo pulled him up from his seat. Swiftly, the alpha suddenly had his hand on the small of Daichi's back as he guided the omega toward the railing.

"Every six months, there is a migration of a freshwater dolphin," Kuroo said as both of them were now standing at the corner of the terrace. In front and below them was the river. The alpha's large brown wings had extended and covered Daichi's back and left side, shielding him from the chilling wind, while his right side was flush against Kuroo. "And tonight is that night."

"But will we be able to see them?" Daichi asked, blinking as he watched the silver ripples on the river's surface, which was black like oil. "It's too dark, are you going to shine the light into the water? Won't that disturb the dolphins?"

"Don't worry, you'll see," Kuroo gave him a smile and turned to wave at the waiter. Daichi watched in confusion as the waiters quickly put out the light from the candles all around the building. He's about to ask Kuroo why the waiters did that when Kuroo pulled his arm gently to get his attention.

"There," the alpha pointed to the left and Daichi's eyes followed. At first he saw nothing but darkness and dim moonlight. Then, he saw something. It was a soft glowing light from the river. The color was light blue, and it was coming closer and closer.

Several seconds later, the light took shape. Daichi blinked as he realized that he was looking at a giant glowing dolphin, swimming near the surface of the river.

"That's the leader of the pack," Kuroo said, his voice soft and quiet. "They will lead the way; the rest will follow soon. Northern freshwater dolphins only migrate at night, so they glow as a signal to tell other dolphins it's time to move."

True to Kuroo's words, many glowing shapes appeared from their left as the lead dolphin almost reached the restaurant they were in. Daichi watched in awe at the various colors taking the shape of a dolphin as they came closer and closer to the restaurant. Bright green, pale yellow, to light brown, painting the dark plain river into a stage of dancing lights.

Daichi could spot various sizes of dolphins as they swam leisurely past the restaurant. He could see the detail of their bodies clearly, and it fascinated Daichi to no end. He had never known that this kind of dolphin existed.

"I've never heard about them," Daichi gasped, subconsciously leaning toward Kuroo as he watched the dolphins slowly swim by.

"Well, they're only found in the North, and not many people know about them," Kuroo shrugged. "They're beautiful, aren't they."

"Yes," Daichi nodded, eyes fixed on the migration of the dolphins in front of them and didn't move away when Kuroo put one hand on his waist. Actually, Daichi even leaned toward Kuroo, and the alpha was more than happy to hug him close.

They stayed like that until all of the dolphins had migrated passed the restaurant. Actually, Daichi found himself sagged and half-leaning against Kuroo when the last dolphin disappeared from view. The omega pulled himself away abruptly and Kuroo let it, or pretended not to notice.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"Daichi, are you free this evening?"

"Yes?" Daichi perked up from behind the pile of books to look at Suga. Today was an active-learning, which meant they could do anything but they must have a report to hand in at the end of the class. Daichi and his friends decided to visit the library and work there until it was time to hand in their assignment. "What is it?"

"There's something I don't understand in potions class," Suga said, pinching his nose as he sighed, "I need your help."

"Okay," Daichi nodded, pulling another book toward himself to compare with the other one on his right. "After dinner then? I drop some books at the dorm before dinner."

"Okay, thanks."

"No problem."

 

 

"Kuroo"

"Yeah?"

"I'll be at the library this evening," Daichi said as he dropped some books on his desk. On the other side of the room, Kuroo was perching on his bed with one foot resting on a nightstand and the other one on the bed post. "Suga needs my help in potions class. I should be back here around nine or nine-thirty."

"Okay," Kuroo nodded, flipping the page of the book he was reading, hazel eyes still focused on the page.

Seeing that Kuroo had acknowledged what he said, Daichi left the room to head to the cafeteria. He wasn't surprised that Kuroo was quite quiet today; the final week was near.

A week had passed since the trip to the restaurant on the riverside. Daichi still remembered the beautiful scene of glowing dolphins swimming past them. He had thanked Kuroo after they got back to the Academy, which Kuroo returned with a genuine smile and said that he was happy as long as Daichi was too. Daichi had no idea how to respond to that, so he told the alpha that it was time to go to bed. Kuroo only chuckled before he let Daichi usher him to shower first.

Leaving the dorm, Daichi guessed that Suga and Asahi were already at the cafeteria. Chilling winds blew by, but Daichi didn't care. He just tightened the scarf around his neck and walked on.

 

 

"Over here!"

Suga was the first one to spot him, and his friend waved happily at him. Daichi smiled, walking toward the beta to drop his bag before going to get his dinner.

As Daichi waited in line to get his tray, he couldn't help but notice that in front of him were third year students from House Nekoma, chattering. At first Daichi wasn't interested in what they were saying, until he heard the name 'Kuroo' coming from them.

"…So, the Kuroo family has finally found someone suitable for their third heir?"

_The Kuroo family? Suitable? What are they talking about?_

"I've heard that it's Alisa Haiba?"

"Alisa Haiba? Is she a relative of that first year? What's his name again… Lev?"

Daichi blinked in surprise,  _Lev has a sister?_

"Yeah, she's two years older than Tetsurō and is a member of the high magic council. She's quite powerful since she's still a student. I guess they'll be a good match."

 _Good match?_  Daichi's eyes widened.  _Does it mean…?_

"Are you sure about that? I mean, the Haiba family wouldn't want to let one of their strongest heirs go so soon, even though it'll definitely increase their alliance."

"I don't know, but Alisa isn't their first heir, she's sixth. I think the Haibas decided that it's okay to let her marry into another family, especially when it comes to a family as big and strong as the Kuroos."

 _Kuroo is going to get married?_  Daichi almost gasped, but he stopped himself in time.  _He's going to marry Lev's relative?_

"Do you know when they'll announce it?"

"I'm sure it'll be after Kuroo has graduated and gained some rank in the army. But I've heard that Alisa'll be visiting the Academy soon. Some professors invited her to talk about her life after graduating, probably to encourage the magic-user students."

"Oh, so Kuroo's fiancé is coming to visit soon then?"

"Yup, probably next week."

Then they changed their topic to other stuff, like classes, but the damage was already done.

Daichi almost didn't realize that it was his turn to grab the tray. His brain seemed to short-circuit after he heard what those Nekoma students said. His blood had been running hot and cold for those short seconds he listened to them.

The omega had no idea why there was an ugly feeling bubbling in his chest. He felt sad, slightly angry, but mostly empty. It was like someone had snagged the ground from under his feet. His heart was pounding in his ears but his legs felt so cold and heavy as he walked back to where Suga was.

Daichi felt as if he just lost something very important, but the omega had no idea what it was nor how he had acquired it in the first place. Yet, it still hurt and it made tears prickle at the corner of his eyes.

"Daichi… Daichi, are you alright?"

Suga's voice snapped him out from his bubble. Daichi blinked as he realized that he had walked all the way back to their table, and his friend was looking at him with worry in his eyes.

"I… I'm alright," Daichi nodded, putting the tray down. He sat down and started to dig in despite having no appetite at all.

Suga raised one eyebrow but didn't push the subject. As he ate, Daichi didn't really focus on the food as he tried to keep himself together. Luckily, he was able to push all of the confusing and ugly feelings down before they headed to the library.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

After that, Daichi found himself avoiding Kuroo again, but it wasn't as obvious as the last time since finals were near and Kuroo had been visiting the practice yard almost every day. Daichi carefully arranged his group study day with Suga and Asahi to be on the day that Kuroo didn't go to the practice yard in the evening. They still saw each other, of course, but not so often and they could manage more than small talk before both of them had to get back to their studies.

Somehow, those short talks, or even the small contact of Kuroo putting an arm around Daichi's shoulders when he lounged around, made Daichi's heart feel so light and hurt so badly at the same time. Daichi didn't understand anything at all. He still liked spending time with Kuroo, but right now spending time with the alpha mostly added more weight to the heavy melancholic feeling Daichi had had since that day. He had no idea where this feeling came from, but it made him more and more willing to stay late at the library every day Kuroo was at the dorm, even after Suga and Asahi suggested that he should get some rest.

At first, Daichi was afraid of Kuroo noticing that Daichi had been avoiding him. He didn't want to explain anything to the alpha. Yet, Kuroo didn't seem to notice a thing since he had his nose buried in a book every time Daichi went back after spending many hours at the library. Sometimes the alpha would already be asleep when Daichi got back, much to the omega's relief.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Days passed, and Daichi found himself struggling more and more to act like nothing was going on. He knew that something was definitely happening to him, but he didn't know how to deal with it. Sometimes he couldn't sleep and often found himself staring at the ceiling for half the night. Daichi always had the urge to look at Kuroo, but he told himself not to. He told himself to stay put, and that's what he did.

Daichi had no idea how he made it to exam week without collapsing. Suga had mentioned once or twice his lack of appetite, but Daichi always waved him off, saying that Suga was imaging things. The omega had tried to eat more, but the problem was he just didn't feel like it. And when Suga asked what was going on, Daichi blamed it on the stress from the upcoming final exams.

He's lucky that Suga bought it, but Daichi knew that it was totally a lie. As if to make it worse, Daichi's physical health seemed to be affected by this mysterious stress too. It started with something small like mild dizziness and slowly progressed to something big liked fever and vertigo. There was more than once that Daichi needed to sit down or stay still and just hold his head in his hands.

He's lucky that each symptom didn't last for long, and they happened when he was alone. Daichi couldn't image how he was going to survive if Kuroo or Suga found out about this. All he hoped was that this sudden weird illness wouldn't happen when he was in an exam.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The exam week arrived and Daichi was surprised that his strange illness hadn't come back at all. Also, somehow he had managed to focus enough on studying that he didn't feel like the dumbest person in the exam room.

Daichi smiled and cheered along with other students when they finished each subject. The relief from finishing each exam made the omega feel good enough that he could progress through the week with energy. At that point, he did believe that he would be able to make it to the end of the week without any incident.

His luck ran out on the last day of exams.

Daichi woke up feeling dizzy and ready to throw up as soon as he opened his eyes. He did throw up, but nothing came out except bile.

_What's happening to me?!_

The omega groaned as he took a shower. Today was the last day of the final exams, and there was just one subject left. Daichi couldn't believe that the illness had decided to come knocking at his door today.

 _C_ _ouldn_ _'t you just wait until the exam is over?_ The omega scolded himself as he dressed. Kuroo wasn't in the dorm. All of the students in combat classes had travelled from the academy to a nearby military camp yesterday; they would take their exam there and wouldn't come back until the afternoon.

 _I miss Kuroo,_  popped up in his head as Daichi looked at the empty space at the other side of the room. Yesterday they had left the dorm in silence since both of them were focusing on the exam. Yet, Kuroo still pulled Daichi into a hug before letting him go and leaving quickly to join other students from the combat class. Daichi remembered standing there, rooted to the ground, and tried to revision Kuroo's hug before the voices of other students preparing to go to their exams pulled him from his thoughts.

 

Nausea and dizziness visited him twice during the exam. Daichi had no idea how he was able to hold himself together and survive, but he did survive and right now he was back in his dorm, laying down on his bed.

 _Kuroo won't be back until the afternoon, probably late afternoon too,_  Daichi reminded himself as he kicked the blanket away from the bed.  _Jeez, why is it so hot? It's almost winter isn't it?_  He moaned, sighing as he got up from the bed.

Daichi had smiled and cheered along with the other students when the exam was over, but that was all he could do. Of course Daichi felt the joy of freedom from studying, but the melancholy feeling was still there.

'We're going on a picnic at the lake this afternoon. Every students will be there. Don't be late!' Suga said to him in his usual cheerful voice as they parted ways after a short celebration with each other. Daichi agreed with a smile on his face, having decided that changing the view might do him good. Also, it was a time for celebration. Suga and Asahi were his best friends, and there was no way he wasn't going to celebrate with them.

 _Except that I don't feel like going on that picnic anymore,_  Daichi thought as he forced himself to get change since it was almost time to meet up at the gate.  _Shit, why am I like this? First I feel like shit and now I feel like I want to sleep all day._

 _I don't want to go,_  another voice spoke up, _I feel like something's going to happen._

Daichi frowned at that thought.  _What's going to happen? It's just a picnic. I've been at that lake before and everything was fine. You're being silly._

 _But I'm sure that something's going to happen,_  that small voice was still stubborn.

_Oh, come on! It's just a picnic. You've been here for a whole semester! You're going to survive this. Nothing is going to happen._

_But…_

_No but_ _s_ _, it's time to go,_  with that, Daichi left the dorm without thinking twice of what his instinct had tried to warn him of.

 

 

Of course, at first nothing happened. Daichi laughed, ate, and drank with the others. He smiled at Suga's story and laughed at some good jokes from students from House Wakutani. He helped Yaku scold Yamamoto and Tanaka when the betas' pranks went too far. The omega even let Terushima stick around for a while before some students from House Johzenji called the second year to join them at the lake. The young alpha was reluctant, but he did go to his friends in the end.

Overall, everything was fine, and the happiness radiating from others around him was enough to make Daichi feel happy. He had just decided that today was going to be just fine despite how rough it started…

…but that was when Daichi suddenly realized what his symptoms had been telling him and went into heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My midterm exam is coming up, so I'll update this story again around the end of September after the exam. I know you guys hate the cliffhanger but please bear with me, I promise that the next chapter is worth the wait. Also, thank you all for your supports, they mean a lot to me ^^


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back!!!!
> 
> I know I'd said that I'll be back by the end of September, but I didn't make it and I'm very sorry for that. I thought I'd have a bit of free time after the midterm but it turned out that I suddenly had tons of works to do instead.  
> So, now that most of my assignments and reports are handed in, I've a bit of free time to finish this chapter.
> 
> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

_I need to get away. I need to get away!_

These words had been repeating in his head for more than a hundred times now. Daichi took a deep breath and jumped across a stream, groaning when he landed on his knees. There were already scratches all over his arms and legs but the omega didn't care. Right now he wouldn't be able to cast a healing spell anyway.

 _Keep going, just keep going!_  Another voice screamed at him, and Daichi forced himself to continue despite his current condition. He only knew that he had to keep going, he needed to keep moving forward. The rain was pouring down like crazy, but Daichi didn't care. Getting as far away from people as possible was his top priority right now.

 _Never look back, just don't look back_ , the voice kept telling him to go on, to get as far from the Academy as possible. The rational part of his brain protested that this was a bad idea, but there was nothing he could do now. And as long as the heat hadn't fully kicked in, Daichi was determined to keep going.

"Shit!" Daichi groaned as he stumbled yet again and landed on his side. The heat was making him dizzy, disoriented. The rain wasn't helping with navigating either. It made everything slippery and changed the dirt to mud, and he knew that it would only getting worse and worse.

A voice from deep inside his mind kept tell him that he would have to stop somewhere when the first wave hit. He needed to, at least, find a place to ride out the first wave before he could continue. He knew he would be a whimpering mess soon, and he needed to be somewhere safe before that happened.

Thunder roared from above and Daichi almost jumped. Half of him wanted to cry right now because this was so not fair. Why he did have to be born a black bird? If he wasn't, he might be able to ride the heat out somewhere safe, not soaked to the bone and shivering in the middle of the forest.

Daichi's foot slipped and landed on a rock. He cried out as the hard edge dug into his torso. Tears threatened to fall from the corner of his eyes and Daichi let them. He groaned and flipped himself away from the rock, one hand coming to touch where it had dug into his skin. There was no blood and his rib seemed to be alright, but it hurt like hell anyway.

Thunder clapped again and Daichi jumped. He whimpered, wiping the water off his face as he gathered himself. "Keep going," he told himself, forcing his legs to move. The pain took a while to go away, but Daichi wasn't ready to look at where he hurt himself. He was sure that there was going to be an ugly bruise.

It took a while, but in the end Daichi found an empty tree hollow large enough for him to fit in. The omega glanced up, making sure that the tree was strong enough not to fall during the storm, because if it did he would be taken with it. Since the tree was still alive and stood strong, Daichi decided to get in.

"Why is this happening to me," he groaned as soon as his back hit the wall of the hollow. The omega tucked his knees against his chest and hugged his legs close. He was still shivering, and not just from the cold.

 _I'm safe here, at least for a while. I hope that there's no dangerous wild life around_ , Daichi thought as he closed his eyes and forced himself to inhale slowly. He knew he needed to calm himself down or he wouldn't be able to think of a way to get out of this messed up situation. However, he couldn't help but let the thoughts wonder back to what had happened earlier.

 

* * *

 

 

**Earlier,**

"Sawamura, what's wrong?" Yaku asked him as he sat down. Daichi just shook his head, his eyes trained on the lake. His back was to the forest. Students from the Royal Academy were everywhere, eating, napping, or even swimming in the lake despite the cold weather. Daichi noted that some trees had already shed half of their leaves. Above them the sky was clear, but Daichi could see dark clouds gathering. He predicted that it was going to rain in an hour or two.

"Nothing," he replied – lied – shaking his head. "I'm fine," Daichi added, knowing fully well that he was not. He was feeling too hot and humid, he felt like he couldn't breathe in enough air, and his heart rate was too quick. Daichi knew that something was definitely wrong with him, but he didn't know what it was.

"Are you sure?" Yaku frowned, putting the back of his hand on Daichi's forehead before pulling it away quickly, eyes widening. "You're burning!"

"I'm what?" Daichi blinked, confused.

"You have a fever." Yaku shook his head before standing up. "Why didn't you tell us? I wouldn't have dragged you here. Wait here, I'm going to get a horse…" The other omega stood up, walking toward Sugawara and Asahi who were talking to one of the students from House Wakutani.

"A fever…" Daichi sighed, relieved that he knew what was happening. However, his instincts still screamed that it wasn't just a normal fever; there's something more to this.

He turned to where Yaku had gone, Sugawara and Asahi already turned toward him. After they exchanged a few words, Asahi and Yaku walked towards him while Sugawara seemed to be getting the horses. It seemed like they had decided that it was better to get Daichi back earlier.

Daichi stood up and started to walk toward his friends when he felt something streaming down his legs. The omega froze in place, eyes widening when realization hit. He turned back to his two approaching friends and was about to shout for them to stop when Asahi halted his step and put a hand over his nose. From the look on the alpha's face, Asahi had already realized what was happening.

Daichi was in heat.

In that moment, the world seemed to stop. Yaku opened his mouth to say something while Asahi immediately took a step back. Sugawara and some other students from House Wakutani were coming their way with horses.

 _What should I do?_  A voice screamed in his head. A terrible memory from his childhood flashed before his eyes.

_Daichi was six years old and was out shopping with his grandmother. His wings were securely restrained and he was wearing a thick coat. They were in the market and Daichi's grandmother was looking at some vegetables when Daichi saw a woman running their way. He was about to ask his grandmother why she was running when the woman ran into him. Daichi couldn't remember her clearly, but he did remember the fearful look in her eyes and how funny she smelled. Her scent made Daichi think of apple syrup._

_The woman cried out a painful 'I'm sorry' and took off. Chasing after her were two alphas, male and female. They were catching up with the fleeing woman with incredible speed._

" _Don't touch her!" the female alpha shouted as the fleeing female staggered on her feet and a nearby man decided to give her a hand. "She's a black bird!"_

_As soon as the words 'black bird' left the woman's mouth, the man pulled his hand away as if he'd been burnt._

" _That's a black bird bitch! She's in heat!" the male alpha shouted as he ran past them. Daichi was sure that he must have shouted something more so horrible that it made his grandmother quickly cover his ears._

_The pair caught up to the fleeing woman quickly. The poor woman screamed as her tattered coat was pulled off and black wings were shown to the world. People gasped and moved away as the man kicked her and she fell to the ground. There were two movements among the people. The majority group were the people who walked away, including Daichi and his grandmother. The minority were those who walked toward the woman with black wings. Then, they started beating her with anything they found._

_Daichi could hear the woman with black wings screaming all the way as he and his grandmother walked away as fast as possible._

_Later that evening, Daichi eventually learned about the poor woman was beaten when he walked past the living room where his relatives were talking about the day's event. It was an unspoken fact that if black bird were in heat in public, they had to be punished. The reason? Because they were black birds and black birds were not supposed to reproduce. The police would mostly turn a blind eye._

"Daichi?"

Sugawara's voice called him back to the present and Daichi snapped back from his past. He looked at his friends with his heart pounding in his chest. Sugawara and Yaku were worried and Asahi was taking another step back. Behind them, the students from Wakutani were frozen in place.

Then, one of the students from House Wakutani growled. His scent was that of an alpha. He jumped at Daichi.

"Don't!"

However, Daichi was dead on his feet; his brain had already short-circuited. Asahi was the first to act. His friend put himself between the alpha from House Wakutani and Daichi, growling as he charged back at the other student. At Asahi's shout, Daichi was back to himself. His instinct kicked in and Daichi dashed for the woods. He heard Sugawara and Yaku shouting in panic but didn't hear what they said at all. The only things he heard was the sound of his heart pounding and a voice screaming for him to run away. He couldn't risk an alpha attacking him and tearing up his shirt. He couldn't risk anyone knowing that he was a black bird.

 

* * *

 

 

Daichi looked up at the sky. The rain was still falling and it was getting dark. He couldn't help but shiver as the wind blew through and his body decided to produce even more fluid. Despite the water that still clung to his clothes, Daichi still felt like he was burning up.

 _The first wave_ , he thought as he bit his lower lip until it bled. The first wave was already here and Daichi needed to ride it out before he could go on. Honestly, Daichi still had no idea where he should go or what he should do. The only goal in his mind was to stay away from everyone until the heat was over.

As the wave of lust and need hit him, Daichi bit his lip again to hide the moan. He was determined to sit through it. It worked for the first several minutes, but then the cramps started and Daichi cried out. Many omegas experienced cramps if they had their heats without the alpha's scent to calm their bodies, and Daichi was not an exception. He whined and groaned as his own muscles tried to kill him.

_Why does this have to happen to me? Why?!_

The omega gave a silent cry as another cramp happened. Tears spilled down his cheeks as Daichi cried. He had no idea why he was in heat so early, since he normally had his heat around the end of winter or early spring.

Pain shot through him again, and Daichi almost wished he had an alpha with him.

_But that's impossible. No alpha would want to help me. I'm a black bird. No one wants a black bird._

Another cramp, and Daichi leaned his head against the wall, hands gripping his stomach as his wings pulled against the restraints. It hurt so much he felt like he was dying, but the wetness between his legs screamed otherwise. Besides the pain, Daichi could still feel the heat and the lust rising. His cock had half hardened and was leaking.

_Kuroo_

He thought about Kuroo. He thought about the alpha's grin and hazel eyes. Thinking about Kuroo made his heart swell and ache so badly at the same time.

_Kuroo_

The Kuroo in his head was smiling – no, grinning. Kuroo's typical trademark grin. Daichi found himself smiling at the image before another cramp forced more tears out of him.

 _I trust him, I really do, a voice in his head said_ , and Daichi nodded. Except for his grandmother, he had never trusted anyone this much before. And for that moment, Daichi wished that Kuroo was here with him. He knew the Kuroo wouldn't take advantage of his condition. He knew that Kuroo could help him…

_But he doesn't know that I'm a black bird…_

Another voice spoke up, snapping Daichi out from his trains of thoughts, making him realize that one of his hands had already reached the hem of his pants. A whine escaped his mouth and Daichi quickly put a hand over it, biting into his palm as more tears ran down his cheeks.

_Yes, I'm a black bird. No one want a black bird._

_But maybe… maybe Kuroo…_

_That's impossible! Even Kuroo would be grossed out by me. Mother and father don't even want to see my face. Who's Kuroo to welcome me if he knows what I really am?_

Daichi screamed into the rain, shaking as more cramps came. He groaned and cried, hugging himself as his own biology wrecked him like a ship being thrown against submerged rocks. The belly of the ship would break and the water would pour in, sinking the ship down and down to the bottom of the sea.

Besides, he's going to get married. His fiancé is someone important and wonderful, someone worth fighting for, the voice continued, and Daichi had no idea why he felt hurt by this sentence more than the first one. He felt like he was sinking down, down, down. His heart, his body, everything.

Then, something funny happened. Dachi didn't know why, but suddenly he remembered one of the times he had accidentally eavesdropped on his relatives. They were talking about the heat. At that time Daichi was too young to understand what they were saying, but he still remembered their words.

" _Little sister, have you found out why your heat arrived early yet?"_

" _No. I still don't know why it happened. Wait, I know that smile. You've already found the answer, right?"_

" _Yes. I talked to a healer yesterday. He said that a heat can be triggered early if an omega is jealous."_

" _Jealous? Wait. Why?"_

" _I don't know. The healer said that maybe it's an evolution thing. See, if you're jealous, you want the person you're pining to look at you more than the other person, right?"_

" _I'm not pining…"_

" _Whatever. Back to what I just said. If you're jealous, you want that person to look at you more than the other one, right?"_

"… _Right."_

" _So, what's the most effective way for an omega to attract an alpha?"_

"… _The heat?"_

" _Exactly."_

Everything came crashing on him at once. Daichi gasped as the realization sunk in.

_I was jealous Alisa Haiba. I…_

_God…. I… I have a crush on Kuroo. I've had a crush on him all this time._

This shook him to the core. Suddenly, everything made sense. The way his heart and body reacted when Kuroo was near. The way he blushed almost every time Kuroo teased him. The happy butterflies in his stomach when he was with Kuroo. The joy of spending time with the alpha. How terrible he felt when he thought that Kuroo befriended him because of an order. The sadness he felt when he knew that he would never have a chance.

 _I've been an idiot this whole time_ , Daichi tried to wipe his tears away, only to have more spill down.  _I like him, but he'll never be with me, and he'll leave me as soon as he knows what I am._

_A black bird is never wanted._

Another cramp and another gush of fluid, and Daichi cried out from both pain and lust. Suddenly all Daichi saw was Kuroo's grin, the way Kuroo hugged him, the promise Kuroo had made that he would never let Daichi fall. The way he tried to make sure that Daichi would be happy. His heart swelled from these memories alone, only to have reality rip it to shreds.

 _But I'll never have him._ A scream, howling in pain. Daichi closed his eyes before letting out a long and painful howl. His stomach cramped and his lustful side grew, drinking in the image of Kuroo hugging him, comforting him.

Uncontrollably, Daichi brought his hand to touch the bulge in front of his pants. His legs immediately spread. His cock was rock hard and his pants felt too tight.

The omega brought his hand down, palming his cock through the wet fabric. The images of Kuroo flashed through his thoughts, one after another. But at the same time, the rational part of his brain screamed that it was impossible – it would never be real.

A sudden orgasm shook Daichi from everything. He screamed, his vision turned bright. For that moment there was nothing but relief. However, the moment did not last long. Soon, Daichi was back to the present, and he brought his hands over his mouth, disgusted by what he had just done.

_What had I done? Why? To find pleasure from someone who deserves someone much better. Why Daichi? Why?_

He cried, he cried and he was in pain. But the first wave of the heat kept the lust going and soon the need to get more relieves forced Daichi to put his hands in his pants.

_I can't do this anymore._

He screamed as he brought himself physical relief, but even more mental mess.

_I can't take this anymore._

Daichi wished that this was just another nightmare, like the one he had after seeing an omega with black wings being beaten at the market.

_Make it stop. Please, just make it stop._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

_It's finally over._

Kuroo sighed as he stretched his wings to chase the stiffness in his muscles away before folding them back neatly. His final test for final exams was finally over. Right now, he couldn't care less about how he did, all he wanted to do was to get back to the dorm and sleep until tomorrow afternoon.

"Phew, that was a rough one," Bokuto said from beside him. The other alpha stretched his wings and yawned. "Man! I miss Akaashi. Hope he's doing fine."

"He's doing fine," Kuroo rolled his eyes. He looked around and noticed that all of the students had gone out of the building they had taken the final exam of their combat class in. The teachers were around the place, making sure that they were okay before sending them on their trip back to the Academy.

"The carriages are coming," one of the students called, pointing toward several carriages heading out of the forest toward the small military base where they took the exam. Many students let out sighs of relief before making their way toward the road. However, Kuroo knew better than to follow them because Bokuto always wanted to fly back, no matter what.

"Kuroo, let's fly!" As if reading his mind, Bokuto spoke up from behind him, and Kuroo could only roll his eyes.

 _Spe_ _ak_ _of the devil_ , the black-haired alpha thought.  _W_ _ell, that's Bokuto for you._ _I_ _should know better after going to the same_ _school_ _as him_ _for three years._ He sighed, _turning toward his friend._

"I'm exhausted and I want to sleep until tomorrow afternoon," he said, deadpan. "You have three seconds to give me a good reason why I should fly back to the Academy instead of getting in the carriages like the other students."

"Because flying is faster." The same reason as last semester. Kuroo rolled his eyes again.

"What if I pass out on my way there?" he asked, deciding to see how long he could drag this out before Bokuto literally dragged him into the sky.

"You won't." Bokuto just grinned at him. "I know that you want to get back to the Academy as fast as you can and you'll never pass out on your way there. You're too cool to do that. So let's fly."

 _Why_ _do_ _I even bother to argue?_  He asked himself, stretching his wings out. "Okay, you win."

"Good," Bokuto's grin widened as the alpha turned to look at the sky. His wings stretched and stiffened, ready to take flight. Kuroo did the same, and ten seconds later they were up in the sky.

Kuroo sighed again as he let the wind carry him higher and higher from the forest below. His wings weren't made to be the fastest bird in the sky, but he could match them with his endurance and ability to glide peacefully. So, it took Kuroo less effort to make himself airborne than Bokuto.

"What do you think they're doing?" Bokuto asked after a while, and Kuroo raised an eyebrow.

"I think they're doing fine, probably picnicking right now. I heard Yaku talking to other students in my House that this afternoon they were having a party at the lake."

"I wish I could be there," Bokuto said. "Let's join them!"

"Maybe," Kuroo replied. He knew better than to say 'no' because Bokuto had never accepted 'no' for an answer when he wanted someone to go somewhere with him.

"By the way, Kuroo," Bokuto said, and flew closer to him. "When will you tell Sawamura your feelings? Man! It's been months since you started guarding!"

"I…" Kuroo opened his mouth before shutting it. "It's none of your business." He tried to act like he was annoyed, even though he knew it was no hope. When it came to feelings, Bokuto always saw right through his mask.

"It's my business because this is getting ridiculous!" Bokuto shouted, and Kuroo was grateful that they were alone and up in the sky. "Sawamura doesn't seem like a clueless guy! I think he should have figured out by now that you've been courting and showing your feelings and interest for a while now. Really! He can't not have noticed. You're not subtle!"

"He hasn't noticed!" Since they were alone, Kuroo decided that it was safe to shout. "And that's why I'm not going to tell him, not yet," Kuroo adjusted the angle of his wings so he didn't fly straight into turbulence. "Or maybe he knows but he doesn't like me, so he pretends that he doesn't see anything," the black-haired alpha added. Although he did pride himself in his ability to read through most people's masks, Kuroo still considered the possibility that Sawamura wouldn't like him back.

"Dude! You know that's a lie," Bokuto shook his head. "He likes you a lot! What omega would be okay with giving an alpha a kiss? Even that it's on your forehead or whatever. He wouldn't do that if he didn't like you."

"I'm not sure," Kuroo sighed. He wished that he could tell Bokuto everything about Sawamura, but he couldn't. He couldn't betray Sawamura like that. "I… whatever. I'll wait until he starts to figure it out."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Well, don't come crying to me that he'll never notice your feelings, then," came the reply with a small laugh. Kuroo rolled his eyes. However, talking about his feelings for Sawamura with Bokuto did help him feeling a bit better. Honestly, at first Kuroo didn't expect his crush to be this oblivious. But then he learnt to accept it and was willing to wait, even though it would take years for Sawamura to finally know his feelings. The way Sawamura was so clueless about his feelings was kind of frustrating, but also cute at the same time.

 

It took them a while to reach the lake. By the time they arrived, dark clouds were all over the place. Below them, judging from their activities and the calls for horses, Kuroo guessed that their friends were preparing to go back to the Academy. Beside him, Bokuto complained about not being able to have an afternoon nap with Akaashi, but Kuroo didn't listen to him much as he scanned the crowd below, looking for Sawamura.

He didn't see the omega anyway, and that started to worry Kuroo.

 _I hope he's back at the Academy,_  Kuroo thought as he and Bokuto flew down to join their friends. However, even before his feet touched the ground, Kuroo smelled it. The faint scent of an omega in heat.

_No, not just any omega_

_Sawamura_

Hazel eyes widened, and Kuroo turned toward Yaku and Yamamoto, who were running toward them, Sawamura's friends tagging along with them.

"Kuroo!" Yaku called, skidding to a stop. His expression made Kuroo's blood run cold.

"What happened?" he asked, voice stiff and deprived of any emotion. "Where is he?"

"He ran off," Yaku replied, pointing toward the forest. "Some students couldn't control themselves and chased after him, but we were able to stop all of them. But… we couldn't find him."

_In heat._

_Sawamura is in heat._

_Shit._

Kuroo found himself unable to focus on anything except the fact that Sawamura was in heat and had run away into the woods. Into the woods which were full of beasts and criminals. Unknown to the rest of the students, Kuroo and some who had gotten into the military early knew about the fact that the forest around here was still used by some criminals and smugglers as a detour to the South.

_And if they found Sawamura…_

A voice growled in his head and Kuroo found himself snapped back to the present. He looked around and saw that Yaku and others were still waiting for his response.

"Get everyone back," Kuroo said, forcing his voice to remain calm. "All of them. I'll search for him. Alone."

Yaku and Yamamoto's eyes widened. Sugawara looked like he was about to argue but decided against it.

However, the one who spoke up was Azumane.

"Are you sure?" the other alpha asked and Kuroo's head snapped toward him. However, Azumane's expression remained calm as he continued, even though Kuroo could hear concern and nervousness in his voice. "I… It's not like I don't trust you. I know that you're able to control yourself. But…accident always happen. I just…"

"I know," Kuroo replied and hated himself for letting some desperation slip in. He shut his eyes a bit and sighed. "I know. But I can't…" he grunted and forced the words out, "…I cannot risk attacking any of you. I have my limits." And this limit had been tested so many time. Every time Sawamura had gone with someone else. Every time the omega had been too close to others. It was typical for alphas to be triggered easily by anyone standing close or touching the omegas they were guarding. Since Sawamura was so oblivious of everything, the omega didn't limit his interaction with others, and it often made Kuroo's blood boil with jealousy.

Usually he was able to control himself. But now, with Sawamura in heat and his alpha instinct growling and raging a havoc inside his head, Kuroo couldn't guarantee anyone that he would be able to hold his wilder and more primal side back.

Luckily, Azumane understood him and nodded before stepping back. Kuroo then took another deep breath and turned to Yaku and Yamamoto. "…if I don't come back by tomorrow evening, send a search party."

Then he opened his wings and jumped up into the sky. As he flew further and further up, Kuroo reached his mind out and searched for one particular person who also had telepathic powers.

_Tendō!_

Kuroo bellowed into the mind of the redhead, and the answer came in a split second.

 _Jeez, Kuroo! You don't have to shout in my head like that!_ Tendō groaned back at him.  _Okay, I've heard what happened._ _W_ _hat do you want me to do?_  His voice was softer and genuine at the last sentence.

 _I'm going after him, alone. Tell Ushijma to come looking for me if I don't contact_ _you_ _by tomorrow morning._ Kuroo replied. He wanted Ushijima to go search for him before the search party. While searching for an omega in heat, it was better to meet an alpha you know than meet a whole group of strangers. There was less of a chance that he was going to attack them.

 _Got it. Good luck and be safe_ _,_  Tendō replied, and Kuroo sent his feelings of gratitude to the redhead beta before he cut the communication.

Rain poured down and Kuroo stretched his wings wide. His pupil dilated and he tasted the air. Sawamura was still in the forest, he was sure of that, so his goal right now was to find the omega before any danger could smell him.

Kuroo hoped that he wasn't going to be too late.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Daichi sighed as he withdrew his hand from his pants. He didn't count how many time he had masturbated, but at least right now he felt like he would be able to keep his sanity for a while.

The sun was setting and it's becoming darker and darker. The rain was still pouring down and Daichi was beyond exhausted from his bottled up stress and the heat. He was wet and cold; he felt like he was going to pass out soon.

However, suddenly Daichi heard a sound that wasn't raindrops hitting the trees or the ground. The sound of… horses.

 _Shit…_  the omega's eyes widened as he tried to push himself further into the hollow of the tree. He stayed still and held his breath as the sound of the horses running came closer and closer. But then, the sound became further and further away and Daichi let himself slightly relax.

 _I_ _have_ _to get away from here, find somewhere safe. Somewhere no one will find me._  Daichi thought as he slowly stood up. His muscles had stopped trying to kill him for a while but his legs were still shaking.

The omega forced himself to get out of the hollow of the tree. Raining or not, he had decided that he couldn't stay here. It was too close to the road, which meant there was a chance that others would find him. He couldn't risk that.

The omega was careful this time, slowly making his way through the forest. He mostly looked at the ground ahead to make sure that he wouldn't step on anything that would make him slip or make a sound. It was a slow and agonizing walk, but Daichi kept going, telling himself that he needed to keep going. At the same time, he constantly told himself to be mindful of the roads or paths and tried to stay away from them as much as possible.

However, as the ground started to slope down toward a small stream, he heard the sound of horses running again. Quickly, the omega jumped into one of the large bushes nearby, eyes looking everywhere to locate the horses and their riders.

 _Why am I still close to the road?_  The omega thought, frowning as he kept his arms and legs close to his body. He didn't want to risk any of them seeing any parts of him.

Daichi wished the horses would just run by like the last time. Yet, this time they seemed to slow down when they came closer to him. The omega held his breath and stayed still as the sound of horses running suddenly stopped. There was a faint and distinctive shout among the riders.

It took a lot of concentration, but Daichi was able to make out some of their words.

"…omega in heat….nearby…."

"…go on?..."

"….search?..."

These words made his blood run cold and his heart hammer in his chest with fear. He couldn't let anyone find him like this.

 _What should I do?_  Daichi knew he was panicking now. His heart was pounding against his ribcages and his hands and legs felt numb.  _Should I hide here? No, they're going to find me. I'm reeking! Shit, shit, shit, what should I do? What should I do?! Should I run? Can I run? Maybe they won't see me if I sneak off quietly? Why_ _did_ _this ha_ _ve_ _to happen to me? Why?_

Daichi's brain short-circuited when he noticed that those distinctive voices were coming closer and closer to him. Now he could make out almost all of what the strangers were saying. But before he could turn his attention back to them, the voices died down and someone who was probably the leader of the group spoke up.

"That omega must be here somewhere. Make sure you bring him back untouched."

"Come on boss, you can't have all the fun!"

"You all can have your fun after I'm done with him. Now go!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to finish another chapter before my final exam, which will take place in the last two weeks of November. But if not, the next chapter will probably come out around early December, or after Christmas, or somewhere between Christmas and New Year ^^


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^

 

 

 

This wasn't Kuroo's first time flying into a storm, and it wouldn't be his last.

Kuroo adjusted the angle of his wings. Even if the army thought it was too dangerous to train all of their soldiers to fly in such weather, Kuroo and those who had rare gifts had to. There were so few of them and the North council wanted every one of their gifted soldiers to survive any circumstance. A storm was something that could happen during a battle, so why not train in it.

The alpha adjusted his wings again and dived down in time to avoid crashing against another strong wind. When he deemed himself far enough from the lake and close enough to Daichi, Kuroo made another dive so he was only several meters above the trees.

 _This should be close enough_. Then he reached out. Telepathic power didn't just allow him to communicate, but also to sense others' thoughts. Kuroo only hoped that he got to Daichi before the criminals roaming in this part of the forest did.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Daichi crawled back further into the bushes. The rain helped mask his scent, but he knew he shouldn't underestimate the alphas' noses. More footsteps and the sound of leaves on the ground near the bushes being crushed were enough to make Daichi freeze up. He didn't even dare to breathe.

"He must be here somewhere," someone muttered, followed by sounds of more footsteps joining in.

"Maybe he went down the slope," another one said, another foot crushing the earth. "I'll go check if he's down there."

"Why does it have to be a guy?" another one complained, Daichi heard a small stone being kicked. "I mean, I won't complain about fucking them, but why flatted chest? Nothing to grab and only the ass is soft."

Daichi almost gasped but he held himself still. He could hear his pulse thundering in his ears and his hands had grown cold. Tears pricked the corner of his eyes and Daichi wanted to screw them shut so he could pretend that this was just a very, very bad dream.

 _Oh God_ , he cried silently.  _Why_ _does_ _this ha_ _ve_ _to happen to me? What did I do? Please, please, just make this a bad dream. It's just a bad dream!_

A sneer from the past came back to him.  _No one wants to help a black bird. They will rape you, and they will kill you after they know what you are_.

Another sneer interjected.  _Hey, be more optimistic. If they know what you are before they do anything, they will only kill you, no rape_.

 _No. No!_ Daichi screamed in his mind. He couldn't help himself anymore and thought of Kuroo – trying to shut himself from the present.  _At least thinking about his time with Kuroo would hurt less…_

"Shut up scout boy," this and a bark and the sound of someone coming closer to the bush shook Daichi from his train of thoughts. "If you don't want a bite, that's fine. Your hands are always available."

"Fuck you."

"Shut up!" a voice that held authority stopped the bickering between the two alphas and everyone grew silent. Daichi bit his lower lip and waited for the person to continue. But the next line never came, and a hand suddenly went right into the bushes and grabbed him by his collar.

Daichi yelled as he was pulled out of the bush and thrown to the ground by force. His vision was blurry but the omega could still make out several figures that stood circling him. He could see the sneers and he could see the grins. His heart felt like it had stopped beating and all his muscles froze up.

"There you are," the alpha who pulled him out of the bush smirked. "Who would have thought? You're very calm, I have to give you that. Other omegas would have been too stressed out bolted out of their hidings by now."

"Or maybe this isn't your first time doing this, eh?" another one said, dropping down into a crouch and grinning at Daichi. "This isn't the first time you've tried to hide your pretty ass, is it?"

"Maybe you'll let us play with your ass before the boss fucks you," another one leaned forward. His lips pulled into a horrible grin. "Ah… you've been leaking. Wonderful."

A hand grabbed him from behind and Daichi jerked, but immediately frozen up when the hand grabbed him around the neck and squeezed. It wasn't hard enough to snap his neck, but hard enough to make him stay still.

"The boss will have him first," the person who grabbed him spoke. Daichi could hear the sound of horses coming near. The blood was drained from his face but his stupid biology decided that the next wave should hit faster – stimulated by the scent of alphas surrounding him.

 _No. No, no, no, no! Please, please, please, just… this is just a dream. This is just a dream! Oh God, what should I do? What should I do?_  Daichi almost screamed, but he couldn't. Fear had frozen him and now he couldn't even move. He couldn't feel his limbs and that was the worst part. If he couldn't move, his chances of getting away were reduced from barely possible to impossible.

 _Why can't I move?!_  Daichi screamed in his mind even though he already knew the answer. It was normal for omegas to freeze up in a dangerous situation that included alphas. Their muscles would lock themselves and made the omegas curl up to appear smaller and less of a threat. It was useful in some situations and a total disaster in others.

"He froze up, typical," the alpha who grabbed him spoke, squeezing his hand around Daichi's throat. Instinct made Daichi let out a whimper. Tear started to fall from his eyes, mixing with the rain.

"You've caught him," came the voice of the leader of the group. Daichi couldn't even look up, but he did hear someone getting down from the horse. The other alphas parted way and a new pair of legs came into view. This one was also alpha, and he was aroused.

"Don't worry dear, we're going to take care of you." A hand grabbed his chin and lifted his face up. Daichi couldn't do anything but comply. He glared at the leader of these alphas, only to see a blade thrust out from under the alpha's chin.

"Sorry that this line is going to be so cliché, but ' _over my dead body_ '."

A familiar voice spoke and then the leader of the group was thrown to the side, blood shooting from his throat as the man tried to stop it with his hands. Standing in his place was Kuroo. The rain had made his hair change from its usual bed-headed form, but the hazel eyes that glowed in the dark were distinctive enough. Around them, the other alphas stood frozen in place.

 _Kuroo?_  Daichi heart sang.  _It's…it's Kuroo. I…I'm not dreaming right? Kuroo. It's Kuroo…_

"You!"

One alphas had recovered from his state of shock faster than the others and lunged at Kuroo. In the blink of an eye, Kuroo disappeared into thin air from the spotted he was standing and reappeared behind that alpha. A short blade was thrusted into that alpha's throat, almost in the same spot as the dying alpha, and the second alpha immediately dropped to the ground.

"Who the hell are you?!"

"You'll pay for that!"

More alphas had recovered and they jumped at the president of House Nekoma. Feelings had come back to his limbs and Daichi tried to get up only to scream when a hand on his throat slammed him against the ground. A foot was firmly placed on his back, right above his wings.

"Don't you get any ideas," someone growled, but then he was hurled off Daichi. The omega looked up in time to see Kuroo throwing that man away. Those hazel eyes seemed to glow with anger.

 _I've never seen him like this before_ , Daichi thought as Kuroo took on three alphas at once. The short sword in his hand cut through the air and rain, and finally cut into a skin. He might be outnumbered, but he was faster and better. Within ten seconds, one alpha was down.

"Let's grab him and get out of here!"

As Kuroo and some of the alphas were fighting, others had decided that they shouldn't risk their life fighting the newcomer. They turned toward Daichi, but this time luck was on his side. Daichi could move now and he wasn't just going to lie there and let anyone grab him. He immediately bolted down the slope and headed for the stream.

Behind him, those alphas cursed and started to chase. Daichi didn't look back. He jumped into the stream and bit down a scream when the sharp rocks in the dark water cut into the skin of his leg. The slippery surface made it hard to run, so Daichi had to walk. He slipped once and landed on his side, crushing his bone against the rocks. Nevertheless, he pushed on.

Daichi stumbled onto the opposite shore and almost crawled up the slope. The alphas were close behind. One had managed to grab his ankle but Daichi was able to shake him because the water made every surface so slippery and the darkness made their aim inaccurate.

However, the darkness also worked against Daichi. With little light he couldn't see where he was going and ended up slipped on his feet. This time he didn't just fall down, but rolled down a rocky slope. The omega tried to grab onto something, but there was nothing but sharp rocks which only make his hand bleed.

Then, as if Daichi hadn't gone through enough shit, the slope had to turn into a small cliff. Daichi slid right off it, falling for several meters, and landed on his back.

The omega screamed as pain overthrew his barely sustained self-control. He screamed again, trying to be heard despite the thunder roaring and the sound of the storm. Then, he was all alone. Alone in the dark, pouring rain, injuries, and the heat with only one clear image in his mind.

"Kuroo"

Daichi whimpered, tears dropping from the corner of his eyes as the stress, pain, and everything he had been through since before the exam overwhelmed him. The pain in his back was killing him. Daichi didn't even try to move. He just knew that his wings, so weak and fragile, must had been crushed by his own weight. He could feel the pain, he knew that at least one of the bones must have shattered.

Looking on the bright side, his spine was still intact and not damaged, but the pain was still there and every movement, even breathing, only amplified it.

"Sawamura… Sawamura!"

_Kuroo?_

Daichi blinked. He thought he heard Kuroo calling his name but he couldn't see the alpha.  _Kuroo? Where is he? Is he… is he really here?_

A dark figured loomed over him, blocking Daichi view and covered him with its shadow. Normally Daichi would have tried to flee, but he was in too much pain and his instinct had decided that this figure was not here to do him harm. A hand gently touched his face and Daichi blinked. Then he saw that pair of glowing eyes.

"Kuroo…?"

He gasped, reaching out and Kuroo grabbed his hand.

"I'm here," Kuroo said, his eyes never leaving Daichi's. "I'm here. You're safe. I've taken care of those bastards. You're safe now."

"Thank goodness." Daichi almost cried again, but this time it was from relief.

 _Kuroo is here and I'm going to be fine, everything will be alright,_  Daichi almost smiled. But the pain from his wings reminded him of what he really was, and now Kuroo was pulling gently at his shirt.

"Kuroo…?" Daichi asked, color suddenly drained from his face. "What… what are you doing?" he gasped as a new type of panic started to set in.

"I have to look at your wounds, see how bad they are," Kuroo replied. His hand hadn't let go of Daichi's shirt yet, but he didn't continue to pull it either. Daichi felt himself calm down a bit at that.

"You… you don't have to…" Daichi quickly said, ignoring the pain still flaring at his every movement and attempt to move. He tried to sit up but the pain made him groan and drop back down, grunting and cursing. Yet, he still determined to talk. "I-I-I'll be fine… just… just… d-do you have any bandages? I-I can take care of m-myself."

Kuroo narrowed his eyes at him and Daichi's heart dropped. He knew that look. Kuroo wasn't going to agree.

"No" Kuroo's answered, and he started to pull at Daichi's shirt again. Around them, everything seemed to still. It was only raining lightly now and at some point, the clouds had moved away from the moon. Pale moonlight now covered everything around them in soft-light yellow, and it only made Kuroo's eyes glow even more.

"I-I can do it m-myself!" Daichi immediately tried to fight back, holding on to his shirt as he tried to move – ignoring what his wings were screaming. Yet, he didn't even manage to get up; Kuroo had him pinned within a split second.

"Just let me help you," despite his gripped firm and strong on Daichi, his voice was so soft and warm. However, Daichi didn't even register any of those.

"No. I can take of myself, please," Daichi pleaded, a new kind of pain was developing.  _Oh God, I can't let him look! No, no, if he found out I'm a black bird. God no, please, please just don't…don't do this._  The pain and the heat were making it harder to think, but the fear of being discovered was still able to overthrow his biology and gave him back a bit of his self-control.

"Don't be ridiculous," Kuroo growled, but it was to express his frustration more than send a threat. "Sawamura, let me help." He started pulling Daichi's shirt up again.

Strangely, Daichi could hear the desperation in Kuroo's voice. Kuroo was genuinely concerned about him, and this made Daichi's heart swell and sink at the same time.

"Please, no, I'm a healer student remember?" and now Daichi was trying his best to distract Kuroo from pulling his shirt off to check Daichi's injuries. His hands tried to pry Kuroo's off him but the alpha wouldn't even bulge. "Please… just… let me… you don't have to-"

"I know you're a black bird."

Kuroo cut him off. Just cut him off with that sentence, and the world around Daichi froze. Piercing hazel eyes stared right into Daichi's frightful one, and then everything was sinking all at once, down, down, down. His blood ran cold and his vision became blurry.

_Kuroo knows I'm a black bird._

_He knows._

His brain started to repeat these sentences. Suddenly, Daichi found himself not having enough air to breathe. He tried to inhale but he couldn't feel anything. The world became blurrier as Daichi gasped for air. His body started thrashing by instinct. Daichi heard Kuroo calling his name, but that only worsened the situation. One side of Daichi wanted to run away from Kuroo; one side wanted to lean in and ask if Kuroo still saw him as a friend despite the color of his wings; and one side wanted all of this to be just a dream.

His vision turned black and Daichi's thrashing became worse despite the pain erupting from his wings. He couldn't see anything, couldn't hear the world around him, but then there was a hand gently supporting his neck, preventing Daichi from hurting himself. Another hand was now resting on his torso. It didn't try to stop his movement, but slowly and gently lessened the movements.

"…Daichi…"

A faint voice from far away had penetrated the fog surrounding his consciousness. Daichi tried harder to listen despite the pain in his chest and the feeling of sinking down to the deepest part of an abyss. Whoever the person was, he was calling his name.

"…calm down. Daichi… Breathe slowly…"

Daichi tried to slow his breathing, tried to do as that voice said. His lungs weren't burning anymore and his vision became clearer.

"…that's it… good. Slowly Daichi, come back to me…."

His hands were held and gripped. That person placed a kiss on his right hand and loosened his grip. Yet, Daichi didn't pull away.

"…Daichi. Can you hear me?"

Daichi nodded. He couldn't speak. He tried, but what came out was a weak whimper. However, the person who was holding him seemed to understand.

"Shhh… it's okay. Just breathe slowly. That's it. Just breathe."

And that was all Daichi did for five minutes. He just breathed, his body no longer trying to struggle. His vision slowly came back to him, and the first thing he saw were those glowing hazel eyes.

"That's it. Come back to me Daichi, please."

The alpha holding him spoke and Daichi moaned as he recognized Kuroo's scent. He had no idea how 'alpha' Kuroo could be. But now his scent alone could start to drive Daichi crazy. The panic and stress lessened, and now his omega side struggled free from their controls. Yet, the rational part of his brain recalled what Kuroo said earlier and Daichi felt his heart dropping again.

"Kuroo…?" he asked and the alpha smiled. A genuine smile. A smile that reached his eyes. Those strong shoulders suddenly sagged a bit, indicating that Kuroo was relieved.

"You can call me Tetsurō," Kuroo, Tetsurō, said. "There are several 'Kuroo's out there, but there is only one Tetsurō Kuroo."

Daichi blinked. Half of him was so happy that Kuroo – Tetsurō - allowed him this privilege. Yet, the other half of him wanted nothing more than to run away and hide. He wanted to hug Tetsurō as much as he wanted to cry, wishing that everything that had happened today was just a dream.

The silence stretched out for a few moment before Daichi couldn't take it anymore. "How?" he gasped out as tears rolled down his cheeks again. "How did you know? When did you find out?"

"Since your first week in the Academy," Kuroo replied softly. His eyes had never left Daichi's, and there was no disgust in them. "I found one little black feather in a corner of the bathroom."

Daichi mentally cursed himself. He'd slipped. He did slip. But he would beat himself up after this.

"Why?" Daichi asked, almost whispering. "Why didn't you report me? Why did you… why did you let me stay?" Then his voice turned bitter. "What do you want? What is your purpose of... enduring my presence?" he almost sobbed at the end of the sentence. It was true that black bird was not welcomed and people were advised to avoid them, but saying such truth out loud still hurt.

Kuroo just looked at him, and then the alpha shook his head.

"Oh, Daichi, man…" he trailed off. His eyes were glittering with something Daich couldn't read. Yet, his touch was gentle. "…I have no idea how to say this. But… do your really not know what's going on? What I'm trying to do? What I've been doing all this time?"

"What?" Daichi frowned. "What do you mean?" he prepared himself to hear something awful liked 'I've been waiting to blackmail you' or worse.

"Daichi, love," one of Kuroo's hand moved to cup his face. "I've been guarding and courting you for ages."

_What…?_

_What?!_

Daichi's eyes widened as he stared at the male alpha above him. "What did you just say?"

"Daichi Sawamura," Kuroo gently grabbed Daichi's right hand and placed it above his heart. "I have a crush, a huge one, on you. Have since the day we first met and still do right now."

"What?!" Daichi gasped. Now he didn't know what to feel first. Shock? Happiness? But Kuroo didn't give him the choice to think. He only pressed Daichi's hand harder against his own chest. The omega could feel the heart beating underneath the skin. It was beating so fast.

When he looked up, cheeks reddened, Kuroo was smiling at him – a smile that Daichi just realized the alpha had never given it to anyone before. A smile reserved only for him.

"Please let me properly court you," Kuroo said. His voice soft and warm, and he touched Daichi with such care as if the omega was made of glass.

"But…" Daichi shook his head, wincing at the pain. "…I'm a black bird-"

"So?"

"A black bird, Tetsurō! Black. Bird." Daichi almost shouted. "Don't you see how wrong it is to… for you to…" he gulped, shaking his head as tears started to gather again. "…it's not. It's not right."

"Damn you and your ridiculously low self-esteem," Kuroo shook his head and then both of his hands were cupping Daichi's face. "And damn all of those rumors and shitty legends that black birds bringing bad luck. Really? My life has been ten times better since I met you. You know what? I don't care about what others think. I care about what you think."

Daichi could only stare, really. He had no idea what to say, but his heart was beating with joy and his omega side was singing.

"You know what's 'not right'?" Kuroo continued. "Those who judge other based on the colors of their wings. 'Bad omen'? Ha! The people in those ivory towers who started the war and have soldiers dying for them and people who lost their loved ones crying, crying for them. No, I don't care what they think. And if they really want to say that this is wrong, that this is a mistake, I'm going to shove those words up their asses."

Then he leaned down until their faces were just inches apart. "So, unless you push me away, I'm not giving you up."

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter, and I'm very sorry that I couldn't make it before New Year. But I hope you guys still enjoyed this chapter though ^^


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sfw part of chapter is beta-read by [Foreverareader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverareader). Thank you so much ^^  
> However, for the nsfw part it wasn't beta-read. So, in case anyone finds something weird with the vocab/grammar/phrases in the nsfw part, please let me know. I'll fix it as soon as possible.

 

 

 

" _So, unless you push me away, I'm not giving you up._ "

Kuroo's words echoed in his mind, draining out other noises completely. For several seconds there was nothing but silence, and then there was a heartbeat. His heartbeat – beating fast and heavy, so loud Daichi couldn't hear anything else for another couple seconds.

There were fingers, gently brushing away his tears. Daichi gasped, and those fingers became even gentler as they rubbed his cheeks. And then there was that pair of gorgeous hazel eyes.

Daichi reached out and touched Kuroo's face for the first time, and Kuroo let him. The alpha even turned his head and nuzzled into Daichi's hand like a cat.

 _He really is a cat,_  a voice in his head commented, and Daichi couldn't help but smile. He didn't know where that thought came from. It sounded so awkward in this situation, but in a good way. It was what he would think typically when Kuroo showed his cat-liked traits. It was so… normal that it helped keep Daichi grounded, keep him in the present, and confirm that the deepest part of his mind did believe that they could work this out. That everything was going to be alright.

"Say my name," Daichi whispered, reaching out with his other hand, and Kuroo kissed it. "Please, Tetsurō, say my -"

"Daichi," Kuroo said his name before Daichi could even finish his sentence. "Daichi Sawamura, the most wonderful person I've ever met. So kind, so strong, so beautiful," Kuroo brought Daichi's hands to his lips and kissed them again. "You have no idea how many times you've driven me crazy."

"Yeah?" Daichi let out a smile. It was a tired one, but it was genuine. "Really?"

"Yes, yes," Kuroo nodded. "Since the first day we met, Daichi, since the first day we met."

His cheeks were reddening, Daichi could feel it as well as see it, but he couldn't move, couldn't make himself look away. Nothing mattered to him except Kuroo, and the alpha's lips were still caressing his fingers.

"Please let me court you properly," Kuroo asked again. "Please Daichi, let me do it properly. You deserve so much more, much, much, more, than what you think you do."

Daichi didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do first. He was still uncertain, but his heart was beating so fast it could leap out of his chest at any second. He felt so warm, so warm and happy.

 _Is this the feeling of being… loved?_  The thought appeared, and Daichi almost choked on it. He froze, and then realized that yes, this was definitely it. And it was amazing - the greatest thing he had felt in a long time.

_"I don't mind taking a truth potion. You can make it, right? Let's use that on me before you ask me anything."_

_"Wait… what? A truth potion?"_

_"Yes. You can make that, right? If I remember correctly, one dose of truth potion only takes an hour to make. Ushijima won't mind if we want to use some of his herbs."_

_"I can make one, but only the simplest kind. Kuroo, you don't have to-"_

_"No, I do. I want you to be able to trust me. I know the situation. I'm a Northerner, you're a Southerner; we're political enemies or whatever those fuckers in the Council say. But I want none of that shit. I want to be with you without us having thoughts like 'Is he going to betray me?', 'Is he a spy?', 'Is he kind to me because I'm still useful?', 'Will he stab me in the back someday?' etc. I want none of that."_

Their conversation from a long time ago flashed back. Daichi remembered feeling so shocked of how far Kuroo would go to prove himself worthy of Daichi's trust. No one had ever gone that far for him.

_"Have you been reading my thoughts with your gift?"_

_"No."_

_"Were you ordered to keep an eye on me?"_

_"No."_

_"Have you… have you ever lied to me?"_

_"No."_

Kuroo was nice to him because he wanted to. He'd never been ordered to do so.

_"Kuroo, do you trust me?"_

Daichi remembered Kuroo's eyes softened at this question. Then he gave that sincere smile.

_"Yes."_

Kuroo trusted him without any doubt. All he'd been giving Daichi was support and love.

 _God, how could I be so stupid?_  Daichi thought, looking up at the alpha who was still waiting for his response. Kuroo could be pushy, but he had never pushed Daichi over his boundaries. He'd never crossed the line. And he was so willing to give even when Daichi had nothing to give him back.

"Can I kiss you?" Daichi whispered before he could stop himself.

"Yes," Kuroo nodded, leaning down until their lips were millimetres away from each other. Their eyes met. Those hazel eyes were glowing with so much warmth and love that Daichi had to close his eyes or else he was going to cry.

Their lips met slowly and gently. Their first kiss was soft, almost feather-like.

"You can court me," Daichi said after they parted. "No, you're already courting me. Just…" he shook his head. His cheeks were red and his omega side was screaming in joy and happiness. "Goodness, Tetsurō. I'm sorry for being so stupid. I'm sorry." Tears were running down his face now and Daichi tried to wipe them off, only to have Kuroo kiss them away.

"Shh," Kuroo crooned and cradled him, gently pulling Daichi to sit in his lap, one arm supporting Daichi's back and the other caressing his cheek. "You don't have to apologize. It's okay."

"I…" Daichi opened his mouth again and closed it. He inhaled and almost whined when the alpha's scent reached his nose, sending his instincts howling with joy. "It's so warm, you're so warm," he said as he nuzzled Kuroo's neck. "So warm. I'm so happy. I've never felt something like this in my whole life."

"Neither have I," Kuroo replied with a smile. He cradled Daichi close and kissed him again and again, until Daichi's tears were gone and the omega was smiling.

"Thank you," Daichi whispered, giggling a little as Kuroo started kissing down his throat. "Thank you Tetsurō, thank you."

"You don't have to," Kuroo chuckled. "Even if you say no now, I'll still spend a lifetime trying to be worthy of you."

Daichi opened his mouth to say that that wouldn't be necessary, but his body chose that moment to gush more liquid down his legs, making Daichi cry out in surprise. He'd almost forgotten that he was in heat, but this wave was on the verge of sending Daichi to his hands and knees. Well, at this point Daichi wouldn't mind doing that as long as Kuroo was the one mounting him.

"Shit, almost forgot about your heat," Kuroo cursed and moved. Instinct made Daichi whimper and grab onto the alpha, afraid that Kuroo was going to abandon him.

"Shh," and Kuroo immediately hugged him close and crooned, calming Daichi down. "I'm just going to take us somewhere safe okay? We need to take care of your wings first. Please bear with me Daichi, it's going to be quick, I promise."

"Just… just do what you need…" Daichi gasped as another gush of liquid was sent down his legs. Kuroo cursed again before quickly but carefully standing up with the omega secured in his arms, and then they were up in the sky.

 

 

Daichi didn't know how long the flight was, but it was harder and harder to control himself as every second passed. He wanted to present, wanted to show Kuroo that he was ready, but he held back, telling himself to wait.

After what felt like forever, they arrived at a familiar manor. Daichi vaguely remembered that this place belonged to the Kuroo family, the manor they'd stayed at briefly during their visit to the fireworks festival. At that point, the first wave had almost completely hit and Daichi was only semi-conscious to everything happening around him. His body felt so hot and the need was so strong it took all his will to still his movements. From how strained Kuroo's arms felt around him, Daichi was sure that the alpha must be restraining himself as well.

"Young master!"

There was the old beta, Mikoto. Her emerald-green wings flapped with urgency as she flew out from the manor to meet them halfway.

"He's injured," Kuroo said calmly as they entered the manor. "Please get anything that can slow his heat down. His wounds must be treated first."

"Yes, young master."

Then everything was happening in a blur. Daichi was panting as Kuroo and Mikoto helped him drink some potion. It made the heat lessen and subdued the need to present himself. It didn't stop the heat from building up, of course, but it slowed the pace down and cleared his head. Then there was another potion to numb any pain from Kuroo laying him on his stomach and starting to work on Daichi's broken wings.

"Thank goodness the bones are still intact," Daichi heard Kuroo say as strong hands slowly worked around his wings. Unlike what Daichi thought would happen, Kuroo didn't just pull his wings open, instead taking the time to slowly massage and coax his wings open at their own pace. The cramped muscles still made Daichi hiss as they slowly stretched, but it still wasn't as painful as what Daichi feared it'd be.

Eventually, after patiently massaging and coaxing Daichi's wings, the omega's onyx wings had stretched to their full length on the bed. Daichi felt his cheeks redden with shame because he knew they must be hideous, a pair of broken wings with feathers falling off everywhere.

Kuroo bent down and kissed the area where his wings connected to his back. Gentle kisses, before a pair of hands came to touch the base of the wings. So gentle Daichi wanted to cry because, again, no one had ever touched him there with such care before.

"You're beautiful," Kuroo said, massaging along Daichi's wings. "Your wings are amazing. Will you let me groom them? Please?"

"Okay," Daichi nodded, and he was on the verge of crying again from the overwhelming feeling of being loved and cared for.

He wanted to tell Kuroo that this was the first time his wings had been treated with such love, but it seemed like Kuroo had already figured it out. The alpha crooned and started massaging his wings again, this time to distract him as Mikoto helped apply the healing cream and stitching his skin up where it was broken.

One part of Daichi was aware of the beta's gentle hand on his wings. At first he wanted to pull his wings away, but Mikoto immediately backed away as soon as Daichi tensed up. Then Kuroo was there to calm him down.

"It's okay Daichi, Mikoto-san won't hurt you," Kuroo said, gently massaging Daichi's wings. "She's a healer and her brother has black wings. She knows that 'black birds are a bad omens' thing is all bullshit."

"Please, I'll make it as quick and as painless as possible," Mikoto said softly. Daichi looked at her and saw only understanding.

In the end, Daichi decided to trust Kuroo and let Mikoto continue to treat his wings. To lessen the time Mikoto had to treat Daichi, Kuroo grabbed the bottle of healing cream from her and started applying it to where it was needed. Neither said anything as they worked, only occasionally crooning, the beta in a motherly way, and the alpha in a soothing way.

After Mikoto finished stitching up Daichi's wings, she bowed and left the room, leaving the two of them alone with a promise that she would come as quickly as possible if called.

"Are you thirsty?" Kuroo asked, helping Daichi sit up after they were done treating Daichi's wings. The omega shook his head as he sat and looked around. His wings stretched and shook awkwardly like the wings of a new-born.

"No," Daichi replied, eyes still roaming around the room, and recognized it as the room Kuroo chose for them to stay in back at the firework festival, but in the end they ended up at Ushijima's place because of Kageyama's heat.

"So…" Kuroo continued, moving to get off the bed, but stopping at Daichi's whine. The alpha gulped and turned back to him, and Daichi realized that it was taking all of Kuroo's self-restraint not to jump him then and there.

"Please don't go," was the first thing Daichi said, knowing that these words could tear the alpha's self-control to shreds. That was kind of what he wanted, though.

"Daichi, please," Kuroo said, his voice low and dangerous. "I want to be with you, but I have my limits. I don't want to-"

"If I say I want to spend my heat with you," Daichi cut the alpha off, his voice shaking, but he was determined to let Kuroo know how much he wanted him, "will you stay?"

"Don't. Test. Me." Now it's Kuroo gritting his teeth. Those hazel eyes shown with lust and full with alpha's instinct, ready to pounce on Daichi. "Please. I want to court you first. It's too soon."

"Tetsurō," Daichi whined. The potion was wearing off and now it was his conscious mixing with his instinct. "You've been courting me for months."

"Yes, but that's not enough," Kuroo shook his head. He was almost growling and his wings were pressing hard against his back. Yet, his hazel eyes were warm and full of love despite his instinct pushing him. "I want you, Daichi. I'm ready to kill for you and I'll fight the world to have you. But I haven't proven myself worthy yet. Please, let me properly court you before-"

Daichi couldn't take it anymore. As same as it made him feel warm and loved that Kuroo was determined to go so far for him, it also made him feel like he was asking too much of an alpha who had been nothing but caring and giving.

"You've already proven yourself!" the omega lunged at Kuroo, tackled both of them to the ground. On pure reflex, Kuroo pulled Daichi on top of him and let his own body take all of the impact. "You protected me from those alphas attacking me, and countless other times. You've known I'm a black bird for ages and haven't told anyone or put me in danger, and you've made me feel safe and loved in this place. But if you really feel the need to prove yourself still, then prove it here."

"Daichi-"

Kuroo tried to protest, but Daichi leaned down and sealed his lips with Kuroo's. Then they were kissing and kissing, until Kuroo pulled away.

"Daichi, this-"

Kuroo tried to speak again, but Daichi brought his finger to Kuroo's lip.

"Help me," Daichi said. His voice soft and pleading, "please, I need you. If you want to prove yourself even more, you can do that by helping me through this without marking." The omega lowered himself down onto the alpha's body, inhaling sharply as his body chose that moment to squirt again. The sweet scent filled the room and Kuroo finally growled in possessiveness.

"Help me Tetsurō," Daichi whined, meeting those hazel eyes with need and lust. "I need you. God, you're the only one I want to spend my heat with. Please, please don't leave. Don't leave me. Please, I want you. I want you Tetsurō. I want you to mark me, but I know you won't do it and that's why I trust you. I know you'll take good care of me, you always do."

Kuroo groaned and growled, finally giving in to his instinct and letting his hands travel up to Daichi's waist. The omega whined and ground his hip down, bringing their harnesses together in such a delicious way that it could have made him orgasm from purely Kuroo's scent and body. But Daichi tried to hold back because he knew that an omega's release could act as aphrodisiac to alpha, unless that was the release produced when omega was knotted. In the end, if Kuroo really wanted to walk away, Daichi didn't want to stop him by using his release. It was unfair to use Kuroo's nature against him. Daichi only wanted to try and convince Kuroo with words. If that didn't work, he'd give up.

"Please," Daichi said again, almost giving up as Kuroo didn't do anything else except hold him and stay still. "Please." He was about to cry again but held back his tears. Of course his instincts would make him feel rejected even though it wasn't Kuroo's intention. But on the other hand, Daichi didn't want to cry and make Kuroo felt bad for refusing either.

"Okay, okay." In the end, Kuroo gave in. The alpha groaned and tightened his arms around Daichi's waist, hugging him close. "But with two conditions. First, you say green if it's good to go, yellow if you want to slow down, and red if you want me to stop."

"Okay," Daichi nodded, his omega side screaming with joy. "Okay, I can do that."

"The second condition was that you take the suppressant as soon as this wave ends," Kuroo continued, bringing his hands up to cup Daichi's face as soon as the omega whined from the feeling of being rejected. Being told to stop his heat was like being told that the alpha didn't want him. "Shh, it's not that love. I'll always want you. But your body needs to heal. The heat is going to put too much stress on it. Please, I'll make it up to you next time, I promise."

The reassurance made Daichi smile and nod. "Okay, okay, next time, got it," he moaned and laughed as Kuroo started trailing soft kisses along his jaw. Then the alpha was sitting up, and Daichi found himself pressed against Kuroo's chest as the alpha hugged him close.

"Promise me you'll let me know if you want to stop," Kuroo said, nuzzling Daichi cheeks. "Please, you have to tell me. Don't think about how I feel, just think about how you feel, what makes you feel good, what you want me to do." And now Kuroo was kissing him again, soft and feathered-light kisses along his cheeks to his temple. "It's all about you, your happiness is mine, got it?"

"I get it," Daichi nodded frantically, "I promise I will," and then he whined as his body decided to squirt again. The heat had intensified and his lowed half was practically dripping, telling them that the first wave had fully hit.

"Bed."

Kuroo growled and Daichi nodded in agreement. A split second later they were on the bed, with Daichi on his back and Kuroo on top of him, the omega's black wing spread out, shadowed by the alpha's golden-brown.

"Kiss me," Daichi asked and Kuroo complied. They kissed again with more heat and passion, one pair of their hands entwined while the other roamed each other's bodies. Kuroo hummed as he slid his hand down Daichi's chest to his waist, massaging the skin. Daichi moaned as he grabbed onto the alpha's shoulder, gripping for an anchor as the kiss became messier and more passionate.

Slowly, Daichi pulled at the hem of Kuroo's shirt and the alpha leaned back to pull it off. His wings spread and stretched, showing off strong muscles and gorgeous golden-brown feathers.

"Your wings are beautiful," Daichi whispered, pushing himself up to touch the wings. Kuroo let him, even purred when Daichi gently massaged them.

"You're welcomed to groom them whenever you want," the alpha said, kissing Daichi's cheeks before trailing the kiss down his throat. "As many time as you want," he finished with a kiss to Daichi's clavicle, "but now let take care of this."

The omega whined and tightened his hold on Kuroo's shoulders as the alpha's hand started massaging between his legs.

"Help me," Daichi said, using one hand to pull at the hem of his pants. Kuroo nodded and helped him took it off, throwing the fabric to one corner of the room. Then, the alpha grabbed the underside of Daichi's knees and pushed the omega's legs up. Daichi moaned and let himself be manhandled back to laying down, but this time with his legs spread wide.

"You're beautiful," Kuroo smiled and licked his lips. That was enough to make Daichi brought his hands to cover his private part, his cheeks reddened even more.

"I'm…I'm not…" the omega murmured, looking away. Above him, Kuroo chuckled and let Daichi's legs down so he could bring Daichi's hands up and kissed each of them.

"Shh, nothing to be afraid of," Kuroo crooned, setting Daichi's hands down – one above his heart and another one above his crotch. "Do you feel it? This is your doing."

Daichi whined, his body gushed out more liquid and Kuroo hummed.

"May I?" the alpha asked, touching Daichi's thigh with one hand. Daichi nodded and had to cover his mouth with his hand immediately because just one touch near his private part made his body on fire. Suddenly he was hyperaware of every touch. And when Kuroo's fingers closed around his throbbing members, Daichi moaned out loud. It felt so good, so, so, good.

"More…" he moaned, spreading his legs wider and even pushing his hip up, showing how ready he was. Kuroo hummed in agreement and quickened his pace. In no time, Daichi let out another moan as the world exploded around him.

Drowning in pleasure, he almost missed the way Kuroo stroke him for more to give and let go as soon as Daichi started to whimper from discomfort.

"Green, yellow, or red?" Kuroo asked, trailing kisses along his neck as Daichi recovered.

"Yellow, but with a little rest and I'm going to say green soon," Daichi replied, sighing as the need reduced a bit. "Shit, that the best hand-job I've ever had," he said, pushing himself up by the elbows. His cheeks reddened even more when he realized that his legs had been spreading this wide and resting on Kuroo's thighs all this time.

"Take your time," Kuroo replied, his hands gently massaging Daichi's thighs. "Tell me when you're ready."

Daichi did take his time. And it wasn't long before the heat was back and he was moaning and squirting.

"Green," he said, and Kuroo was kissing him. He kissed back, pulling at the alpha's hair to get him closer.

Kuroo's fingers moved slowly, gently massaging his thighs and down to his entrance. Daichi gasped as one finger touched the ring muscles, touching but not breaching – asking for permission.

"Please, yes," with the heat within him, the need to be touched and filled, Daichi nodded. He had never known that he needed this until Kuroo slowly pushed the tip of his finger in. It felt so good, so much better than the alpha's hand around his member.

Kuroo continued slowly, keeping his eyes on Daichi's face – looking for any discomfort. And while the alpha carefully prepped him, Daichi let out the moan. It didn't hurt at all. Actually, it felt amazing and Daichi wanted more. He wanted all that Kuroo could and would give.

At first Daichi though about holding back, letting Kuroo went with his own pace. But then he remembered what Kuroo had asked from him.

"… _just think about how you feel, what makes you feel good, what you want me to do. It's all about you, your happiness is mine, got it?_ "

So he let out a soft and shaky whine. "More," he moaned, "please more, I want more. Tetsurō, please."

"Shh," Kuroo nodded and added another finger, kissing Daichi's forehead as he did. Then he started moving at a faster pace, making Daichi moaned. They kissed again and this time Daichi managed to coax Kuroo's tongue into his mouth.

Another finger was added when Daichi started to tighten around the previous two by his own will. It was a sign that he was ready, and Kuroo complied to his request. Three fingers were now moving in unison, stretching and preparing the soft passage for something larger and longer. Then, one of the finger scratched at the right spot and Daichi's back ached with a silent cry.

"There is it," Kuroo whispered. The alpha was grinning as he repeatedly brushed the tip of his fingers against that spot, massaging it and making the omega scream.

"Tetsurō, Tetsurō!" Daichi was moaning and screaming as his body went rigid. He had reached his peak for the second time just from the fingers alone. However, this time Kuroo bent down to take Daichi's cock in his own mouth and sucked – drinking in all Daichi could give. It didn't take long, but enough for the heat lessened and gave Daichi a short rest.

"You didn't have to do that," Daichi said as he came back to himself. He pushed himself up a bit and didn't refuse when Kuroo moved to kiss him. He could taste himself on the alpha's tongue and it somehow made his cock twitch with excitement.

"I wanted to," Kuroo replied, grinning as he leaned back so he could take off his pants. "And I still want to do it again."

"Maybe next time," Daichi said, pulling his legs off Kuroo's thighs so the alpha could properly take his pants off. His eyes followed the alpha's hands as they pulled at the hem, and then the pants were flying through the room to join his pants.

 _He's…huge…,_  was the first thing that came to Daichi's mind right after Kuroo was completely naked. It's typical for alphas to be larger than omegas and betas, but knowing and seeing the real thing weren't the same. However, his omega side seemed to have another thought as it tried to push Daichi to be on all four.

"You can still say red," Kuroo said, making no move to advance. He was waiting for permission and Daichi couldn't believe how patient Kuroo was. An average alpha would had flipped him on his stomach by this point.

"Green," Daichi replied, gulping as he tried to think of which position Kuroo would like to take him. But in the end, he decided to ask. "So…how do you want me? I mean… on my hands and knees or…."

"Which position you're most comfortable with?" Kuroo asked him back. His wings stretched out before folding back. His control over his instinct didn't weaver despite how many time Daichi had, intentionally and unintentionally, tried to break it.

Daichi already had the position he wanted in mind. He wanted his first time to go like this. It was classic, but risky. It was a post of an omega who wanted to be marked and bred, but also the position that showed how much Daichi trusted Kuroo.

So, without hesitation, Daichi pushed himself on all four. His chest almost touched the mattress and his head resting on his lower arms. His wings spread out to help balance his body while his ass was high in the air and dripping. His legs spread apart, making room for Kuroo to fit there.

"Take me," Daichi whispered, craning his neck to make eye contact with Kuroo. "I trust you."

Despite what he had thought that Kuroo would immediately move in, the alpha just stayed still. His hazel eyes only stared at Daichi as his wings froze in place. Daichi almost whined from desperation and swayed his hips to encourage the alpha when a hand touched his lower back.

"God, Daichi," Kuroo smoothened his hands down Daichi's back to his shoulder blades, making the omega beneath him shiver with want and need. "You've no idea what you've done to me."

"Then show me," Daichi panted. "Don't make me do it myself. Show me. Take me. Please."

"Shh," was all he got before Kuroo was gripping his hip. Something hot was poking at his entrance and Daichi moaned. He spread his legs wider and shivered as the alpha started to push in.

"Green," Daichi cried. He felt like the alpha was killing him with this slow pace. His body was on fire and he really needed Kuroo to knot him. "Oh, God, it's green. Green. I'm okay. Go faster."

Kuroo didn't give him a verbal response. Instead, the alpha pushed harder and Daichi moaned because it was perfect. He felt so full and it was great. His passage hungrily contracted, encouraging the alpha to push in more.

In the end, Kuroo gave in. With one slam, the alpha sheathed himself completely inside and both of them moaned from pure sensation. Daichi moaned and cried as his body was on fire. Above him, Kuroo gave a low moan but otherwise stayed still for the omega to adjust.

"Green, please move," Daichi gave a permission and Kuroo complied. It was slow at first, just drawing out and pushing back in. But then, as Daichi started to get impatient, Kuroo picked up the pace and it made Daichi went speechless. All he could do was moan and cry at how the member inside him perfectly pushed against his prostate every time it moved in or out. Yet, somehow Daichi could tell that Kuroo was still holding back.

"Harder," Daichi moaned as another slam almost sent him over the edge, but not yet. "Tetsurō, come on, you can be rougher. Don't hold back."

"Next time," Kuroo grunted, moving down to give Daichi a passionate kiss. One of his hand sneaked under Daichi and gave him a quick pump as he quickened his pace. The omega moaned and nodded, pressing his chest more into the mattress as the heat pooled toward his crotch. He would go over the edge soon and he wanted Kuroo to go with him.

"Knot me," so Daichi whispered, encouraged the alpha as he felt the knot started to form. Kuroo growled and slammed into him, hard and deep. The omega moaned and tried to push back even though he knew he couldn't match Kuroo's strength. He only wanted to break Kuroo's control a little, just enough to make him wilder and less composed. And it seemed to work as Kuroo growl again, but this time the alpha also tightened his arms around Daichi, locking the omega in place as the pace accelerated.

Daichi moaned as his passage tighten, signalling that it would be over soon. Kuroo seemed to feel this too because suddenly the pace became brutal. The enlarged base of the alpha's cock was pushed and pushed against the entrance until it finally gave, letting the knot slip in and Daichi screamed. The sensation was overwhelming. It pushed him over the edge with the alpha following suit.

Instinct made Daichi bare his neck, ready to be bitten. However, the bite never came and all Daichi could feel was Kuroo's breath against the back of his neck. He could feel the alpha kissing him from the base of his skull to between his wings and it made him sigh in relief. The heat had lessened, only temporary as this was just the first wave, but lessened nonetheless.

"Thank you," Daichi said as soon as he could manage a word. Above him, Kuroo hummed and gently re-arranged their position so he was laying on his back with Daichi on top of him, both of their wings stretched wide, with Daichi's black ones resting above Kuroo's.

"How do you feel?" Kuroo asked him as soon as they both had settled down. "Better?"

"Yes, a lot better," Daichi nodded. "It was… less chaotic than what I'd imagined. I… um… I thought I would be more… incoherent?" he blushed at his own words and Kuroo chuckled before kissing him again.

"It was the first wave. The best thing about it is that you'll be the most conscious and in control of yourself," Kuroo replied, one hand moving to caress Daichi's wings while the other rested on the omega's hip. "That's why I want you to take the suppressant after this. You need to rest."

"I know," Daichi sighed, resting his head against Kuroo's shoulder. Half of him was relieved that he wouldn't have to deal with his heat at least for a while, but the other half whined because he wanted to see Kuroo let go of all of his ridiculously high self-control.

However, for now he would rest. Kuroo started humming a song, and Daichi tensed up as he recognized it. It was an ancient song from the South, used when an alpha proposed to an omega, although in present times it was used only rarely and not every Southerner knew about it at all. But somehow, Kuroo did.

"You know this song?" Daichi gasped out the question. He pushed himself up a bit to look at the alpha. All he saw was a genuine smile as Kuroo nodded.

"Yes, I do," Kuroo replied, bringing one hand to caress Daichi's cheek. "I haven't perfected it yet though. I promise I'll sing it to you properly when I'm ready, if we're ever ready."

'I want to propose and spend the rest of my life with you' was what Kuroo meant, and Daichi heard it loud and clear.

"God," Daichi shook his head, smiling and crying at the same time. "Who told you about that song?"

"No one, I found it when I was doing research about Southerners' marriages," Kuroo said, kissing Daichi's temple.

"And what made you research that?" Daichi asked even though he had a feeling that he already knew the answer.

"Well, it's simple," Kuroo shrugged, his eyes never leaving Daichi's. "I researched it after I figured out I'm in love with you."

 

 

 

 

 

 

**TBC.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait guys. So many things happened to me lately. I got in an accident around mid-January, several days after posting chapter 13. A car ran over my ankle and I was hospitalized for a week. Then a week at home to recover. After that I've to catch up with university and everything else.  
> Some of you may wonder, what about all those Thai fan-fiction you post after the accident? Why not this story? Well, I wasn't...ready. I mean; I do want to continue this story but as you see, this chapter is quite emotional and I want to be emotionally healthy before writing this. And I've never felt that I'm ready until early March, after my mid-term exam.  
> So, I hope that you guys like this chapter. And have a nice day ^^


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